Premier international airline Emirates on Tuesday announced the launch of a new service directly connecting Kolkata with Dubai from March 26, taking the total number of Indian cities it would connect to seven.
The announcement follows the airline's recent decision to start services from Thiruvananthapuram and increasing the number of flights to Kochi and Chennai from February 1.
From Kolkata, Emirates would operate six non-stop direct flights a week from March 26 on A-330-200s, taking the total number of the carrier's weekly flights to 63.
These flights would operate on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays, an airline spokesperson said in Kolkata.
The eastern Indian corporate sector was keen to find new markets for their products and services and the new connection would open up significant areas of West Asia to Kolkata's business and leisure travel, besides air cargo.
Leather, tea, engineering goods, seafood and silk fabrics are exported to West Asia and other parts from eastern India.