Emirates flavour of the month in Cote D'Ivoire
The sweet taste of Emirates' success has taken on a new meaning after the airline introduced daily flights to Cote D'Ivoire, a leading producer of cocoa and a key ingredient behind one of the world's favourite treats, chocolate.
Just two years after Emirates whetted the appetite of travellers to Abidjan with a five times a week service, demand has called for operations to go daily, and now they have.
Under the new schedule, effective December 1st, EK flight 787 leaves Dubai each day at 0740hrs and arrives in Abidjan, Felix Houphouet Boigny Airport, at 1455hrs.
As before, flights to and from Abidjan, served by a 3-class Airbus A340-300, are making a quick stop in Accra, Ghana.
Abidjan is one of the 15 destinations to which Emirates flies in Africa with most passengers flying in from Paris, Beirut, Accra, New York and Dubai.
The extra flights will be of particular benefit to passengers with connections to GCC countries, the wider Middle East and the Far East.
Salem Obaidalla, Emirates' Senior Vice President, Africa, West Asia & Indian Ocean, said: "This represents a further push by Emirates into West Africa and brings new support to business, international trade and passenger travel, while strengthening the country's overall transport infrastructure. And to think chocolate is part of the equation will only serve to give us an even greater taste for Africa."
Mr Obaidalla added: "The introduction of this daily service comes just weeks after we announced a double daily flight to Lagos from February 1st next year. This is such an exciting continent for us and are delighted to be playing a part in its prolific growth."
The West African nation, which has Guinea, Mali and Ghana amongst its neighbours, is one of the world's major producers and exporters of coffee, cocoa beans, and palm oil. Abidjan is also a large commercial sea port, forming a gateway for the industrial world to and from Western Africa.
Emirates, supported by Emirates SkyCargo, has been flying to the African continent since 1986, the year after the airline was established.
In just 23 years, the Dubai-based carrier has quickly grown into a major player on the aviation stage, boasting a 123-strong modern fleet, the world's largest A380 order book and a six continent route network.
The travel and tourism conglomerate has won more than 400 international awards for its products and services, helped no doubt, by its various chocolate offerings….
Enough to make you melt
Onboard - Chocolates in First and Business Class are produced by Godiva. In Economy, they are made in Dubai by Le Chocolat using imported blocks of Felchlin
Counter Culture - offering hampers full of goodies such as assorted home-baked chocolates, cookies and mince pies from within The Harbour Hotel & Residence in Dubai
Check in - Emirates is planning for passengers to receive special Godiva chocolates when they check in at T3 on January 1st, 2009
Luxury Hotels by Dnata - a number of its hotels provide chocolate-based skin pampering, which includes wrinkle reduction treatments
Terminal 3 - Emirates Lounges serve a delicious selection of chocolate treats such as white chocolate raspberry trifle, chocolate creme brulee and white and dark chocolate fig truffles
Emirates Executive Pastry Chef Lawrence J Wallace has an intriguing recipe for Chocolate Orange Ice Cream infused with chilli, available on request, also at Counter Culture
Flights from Dubai to Abidjan (daily from December 1st, 2008)
EK787 departs Dubai daily at 0740hrs, arriving Abidjan 1455hrs.
Flights from Abidjan to Dubai (daily from December 1st, 2008)
EK788 departs Abidjan 1625hrs, arriving Dubai 0625hrs the following day.
