Dubai Emirates  inaugurated today the non-stop, daily service between Dubai and Ho Chi Minh City in the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam. This marks the airline’s eighth route launch during 2012. On the route, Emirates utilizes an Airbus 330-200 in a two class configuration 27 business and 251 economy class seats.

Thierry Antinori, Emirates’ executive vice president, passenger sales worldwide said' “Through Emirates’ non-stop, daily service, Vietnam is now connected via one-stop in our Dubai hub to our global network, which includes 31 destinations in Europe, 22 in Africa, 16 in the Middle East, 11 in North and South America and 19 in the West Asia and Indian Ocean region. We also look forward to opening up a wealth of opportunities in Vietnam for business and leisure travellers from the six continents that our passengers join our flights from.z

“Ho Chi Minh City is one of the most vibrant cities of South East Asia. The city is recognised as the commercial capital of Vietnam, a country that has one of the fastest growing economies in Asia and that is why we have chosen this time to add Ho Chi Minh City to our rapidly expanding network. I would like to thank the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam for their support, partnership and vision in ensuring that the launch of Emirates’ services was a success. We look forward to growing our partnership with Vietnam.”

On board the inaugural Emirates flight to Ho Chi Minh City were Ahmed Ali Hamad Al Mualla, United Arab Emirates Ambassador to the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam; Tran 

Ngoc Thach, Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam to UAE; Thierry Antinori, Emirates’ executive vice president, passenger sales worldwide; Richard Jewsbury, Emirates’ senior vice president, commercial Operations Far East & Australasia; Pradeep Kumar, Emirates’ senior vice president, cargo revenue optimisation & systems; Hassan Al Hashemi, director external relations Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Ngo Khai Hoan, commercial counselor head of the trade office of Embassy of Vietnam in the UAE.

Emirates flight EK 390 departs Dubai International Airport at 0915hrs expected time of arrival at Tan Son Nhat International Airport at 1935hrs. The return flight EK 391 departs at 2110hrs expected time of arrival in Dubai at 0105hrs the following day. 

Trade between the UAE and Vietnam exceeded US$1.2 billion in 2011 and Emirates. Emirates currently flies to 124 destinations in 74 countries. Over the next three months, the airline will launch a further three destinations: Barcelona, Lisbon and Washington, DC.