Emirates has introduced its Airbus A350 aircraft on the Kolkata-Dubai route, increasing its weekly flight operations between the two cities from 11 to 12, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) said on Sunday.
The new aircraft was accorded a ceremonial water cannon salute at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata on Sunday to mark its introduction, the AAI said.
The deployment of the state-of-the-art wide-body aircraft and the increase in flight frequency are expected to strengthen Kolkata's international air connectivity and cater to the growing demand for air travel in the eastern region, it said.
Kolkata Airport Director Vikram Singh welcomed the development, saying the introduction of the Airbus A350 and the additional flight frequency reflected the growing demand for international air travel.
He also extended his best wishes to the Emirates team and passengers for the new service.
The development marks an expansion of Emirates' operations from Kolkata, a key international gateway for eastern India, offering passengers an additional weekly flight to Dubai, a major global aviation hub.