Emirates’ new destination in the Philippines – Clark International Airport – will be launched on October 1.
Located in Angeles City, 80 kilometers north of Manila, the new international airport will become the airline’s second destination after Manila.
The Clark route will create a new channel to connect millions of Filipinos living around the world and one of the most popular regions overseas is the Middle East.
Nearly 680,000 Filipinos live in the United Arab Emirates alone, according to the Commission on Filipinos Overseas. Introductory fares from Dubai to Clark International start at AED 2,605 (PhP30,691).
A further 342,000 Filipinos reside in Qatar and 186,000 are based in Kuwait. But the biggest Filipino population in the Middle East is in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Commission reports that over 1.5 million Filipinos are living in the Kingdom.
“When you see these figures showing the full extent of the Filipino diaspora, it’s clear how important a new route to the Philippines becomes,” said Sheikh Majid Al Mualla, Emirates senior vice president in commercial operations, Gulf Middle East & Iran.
“For 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,” he said.
Manila was one of Emirates’ early routes in southeast Asia, starting a service in 1990, only five years after Emirates was established.
Demand has been such that Manila has become a triple daily service, boosting tourism and trade between the Philippines, Dubai and beyond. Over the 23 years, Emirates has carried a total of 5.3 million passengers on the Dubai-Manila sector.
“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,” said H.E. Grace Relucio Princesa, the Philippines’ ambassador to the UAE.
“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 and Bataan, 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 0400hrs and arrive at Clark International Airport at 1640hrs. The return flight, EK339, will depart at 1835hrs and arrive at Dubai International Airport at 2305hrs.
Customers can choose from over 1,400 channels of in-flight entertainment on the world-renowned ice system, while enjoying gourmet chef-prepared meals in all classes, served by Emirates’ highly-trained, multi-national cabin crew.
Generous luggage allowances give passengers in Economy Class 30kg, Business Class 40kg, and First Class 50kg.
First and Business Class passengers can also benefit from a complimentary chauffeur drive service to and from Dubai International, priority check-in and exclusive lounge access.
With a second gateway into the Philippines, Emirates SkyCargo will be able to provide more than 160 tons of additional cargo hold capacity each way per week.
