Emirates has increased its Kolkata-Dubai services from 11 to 12 flights a week and introduced the Airbus A350 on the route, expanding international air connectivity from Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport.
The Airports Authority of India said the additional service and aircraft deployment were announced on Sunday. The A350 was welcomed at Kolkata airport with a ceremonial water cannon salute, marking its introduction on the route.
Kolkata airport director Vikram Singh said the new aircraft and the extra weekly service reflected rising demand for international travel. He welcomed the expansion and extended his wishes to the airline’s team and passengers.
The additional flight gives passengers travelling from Kolkata another option to connect to Dubai, which serves as a major international aviation hub. The route links eastern India’s principal city with a global transfer point for travel beyond the United Arab Emirates.
Emirates’ decision increases the scheduled frequency between the two cities by one weekly service. The airline has also moved from operating the Boeing 777 on the route to deploying its Airbus A350, a newer-generation aircraft, according to the report.
The expansion comes as airports and airlines respond to higher demand for international air travel. For Kolkata, the development adds both frequency and a different aircraft type to one of its international connections, although the supplied information does not specify the seat capacity of the A350, the exact operating days of the additional flight or the revised timetable.
The move is part of Emirates’ wider use of the A350 across its network. From November 1, the airline will replace the Boeing 777 with the A350 on its daily Dubai-Mauritius service, according to the report.
The latest Kolkata deployment follows other airline schedule changes involving Indian cities. Air India is set to increase Sydney-Delhi flights to 11 weekly from December 5, while SWISS has opened a direct Bengaluru-Zurich route with five flights a week. These developments indicate continuing changes in international flight schedules serving Indian metropolitan regions, though the supplied report does not provide comparative passenger or airport traffic data.
The additional Kolkata-Dubai service will provide another scheduled travel option for passengers from the city. Further operational details, including the service timetable and aircraft capacity, will determine the precise change in available seats on the route.
