Mumbai, 20th November 2017: Emirates has celebrated 10 years of successful operations to Ahmedabad, the largest city in the state of Gujarat, India. Since its inaugural flight in October 2007, Emirates has carried over two million passengers and uplifted up to 74,000 tonnage of cargo from Ahmedabad.
With 10 weekly flights and 260 tonnes of weekly cargo capacity offered, Emirates’ service to Ahmedabad has proven to be an indispensable resource for travellers, exporters and importers over the years.
“We would like to thank all our customers and industry partners in Ahmedabad for their long-standing support over the years. We are proud to contribute to the country’s thriving economy, connecting Ahmedabad to key destinations in Europe, the United States, Africa and the Middle East. It’s been a remarkable journey and we look forward to offering further choice and excellent value for money to our Gujarati customers,” said Essa Sulaiman, Emirates’ Vice President, India and Nepal.
Located on the banks of the Sabarmati River, Ahmedabad has emerged as an important trade and industrial hub in India. It’s known to be the second largest producer of cotton in the country and a major player in the pharmaceutical and automobile industries.
The export market in Gujarat has grown at a pace of 12 to 15% year on year in the last five years and as per industry estimates; the growth rate is expected to increase in the coming years. With the support of ‘Make in India’ initiative, the outlook for the manufacturing sector in Gujarat forecasts a positive growth for the future.
With its strong cargo handling abilities in Ahmedabad Airport, Emirates Skycargo has also been a major contributor to the export growth from Gujarat. The freight division of the award-winning airline continues to provide additional cargo capacity on passenger flights as well as scheduled and charter freighters, enabling more cargo to be transported in and out of Ahmedabad airport.
“Gujarat has always been an important growth region for SkyCargo. Over the past 10 years, we’ve seen Ahmedabad perform very well, with increasing volumes of cargo carried out to important markets in Europe and the Americas via our hub in Dubai. We’re certain this positive trend will continue as more manufacturing industries, especially automotive, pharmaceuticals, engineering and chemical industries, are setting up their base in Gujarat,” said Keki Patel, Emirates SkyCargo Manager, India and Nepal.
Key exports from Ahmedabad include pharmaceutical products, dyes and chemicals, automotive items, fruits and vegetables.
Emirates has been inspiring travel and facilitating trade between the India and the world since 1985. With over 170 flights a week to nine Indian destinations, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram; Emirates connects India to the airline’s network of over 150 destinations.