DUBAI – Emirates’ will launch a new destination in the Philippines from 1st October of this year. Clark International, in Angeles, 80 kilometers north of Manila, will become the airline’s second destination after Manila.

According to the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (an agency of the government of the Philippines under the Office of the President of the Philippines) almost 680,000 Filipinos in the UAE, some 342,000 Filipinos in Qatar, 186,000 in Kuwait and over 1.5 million in Saudi Arabia.

Manila was one of Emirates’ early routes in south east Asia, starting a service there back in 1990 – just five years after Emirates was established.
 
Emirates has a three flights daily service to Manila, during the 23 years, Emirates has carried a total of 5.3 million passengers on the Dubai-Manila sector.

Sheikh Majid Al Mualla, senior vice president, commercial operations, Gulf Middle East & Iran, said: “Over more than 20 years, Emirates has carried millions of passengers on the Dubai-Manila route and I am sure with the number of Filipinos on the move around the world, Clark will be equally successful.”
 
Grace Relucio Princesa, the Philippines’ Ambassador to the UAE, added: “I think it is very significant that Emirates is finally flying into another destination in the Philippines because it will open a whole vista of opportunities for both our countries.

“First of all, it will help Filipinos all over the world – they’re passing through the Dubai hub and riding one of the largest airlines in the world, Emirates, to fly nearer their communities of origin, like in Pampanga, where Clark International Airport is. It will also mean access to Subic Freeport area and the Bataan area, which will also open tourism and investment opportunities for both countries.” 
 
The new Clark service will be operated by a two-class Boeing 777-300ER. EK 338 will depart Dubai at 04:00hrs and arrive at Clark International Airport at 16:40hrs. The return flight, EK339 will depart at 18:35hrs and arrive at Dubai International Airport at 23:05hrs. 
 
Emirates SkyCargo will provide more than 160 tons of additional cargo hold capacity each way per week.