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Emirates' inaugural flight to Israel welcomed with water cannon salute
VIP delegation from UAE was received by Merav Michaeli, Israel’s Minister of Transport and Road Safety
Supplied photo
Dubai's flagship airline Emirates touched down in Tel Aviv on Thursday on its first ever service into Israel and was welcomed by Ben Gurion Airport with a water cannon salute.
The arrival of Emirates flight EK931 was watched by a number of people. On touchdown, the VIP delegation was welcomed by Merav Michaeli, Israel’s Minister of Transport and Road Safety.
After the welcome ceremony, Emirates showcased the interiors of its latest Boeing 777’ Gamechanger aircraft to government officials and guests.
The aircraft features a fully-enclosed First Class private suites with virtual windows. Emirates will operate three its three-class Boeing 777-300ER on the route, featuring eight private suites in First Class, 42 lie flat seats in Business Class and over 300 spacious seats in Economy Class for the daily service.
Emirates’ flights to Tel Aviv operate as EK931 and EK932. The daily flight leaves at 15:50hrs, arriving in Ben Gurion Airport at 18:00hrs local time. The return flight departs Tel Aviv at 19:55hrs, arriving in Dubai at 23:59hrs (local time).
Israel’s Minister of Transport and Road Safety MK Merav Michaeli said: "On my last visit to the UAE, I signed agreements that will facilitate the trade and mobility between us, mobility as a tool to empower the citizens and economies of both countries. The step we are marking today is far beyond aviation, it is an important political step that blurs the physical boundaries between us and strengthens our mutual commitment."
Adel Al Redha, Emirates Chief Operating Officer said: "We are excited about the launch of Tel Aviv service which adds to our growing network. From the time we first announced plans to include Tel Aviv in our global reservation systems, we received strong demand from travellers - not only in Israel, but also from many of our destinations including to and from the UAE. Our new service will provide tourism, trade and business opportunities.
The high-profile delegation onboard the flight included Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy; Mohamed Al Khaja, UAE Ambassador to Israel; Amir Hayek, Israeli Ambassador to UAE; Waleed Al Naqbi, Senior Administrator – Coordination & Follow up, UAE Ministry of Economy; Richard Mintz, Advisor to the UAE Ambassador in the United States; Ahmad AlMarri, Dubai Economy and Tourism, Head of Region – GCC & Mena International Operations; Abdulhamied Seddiqi, Chairman of Seddiqi Holding; and Ross Kriel, Director at Kosher Arabia.
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