Emirates Returns to Bologna and celebrates five years of service in the Emilian capital

01/11/2020 Emirates has resumed services to Bologna, one of its four gateways in Italy, whose operations were inaugurated exactly five years ago on November 3. The Boeing 777-300ER employed on the route landed today at 12:40 on the Marconi airport runway greeted by a water cannon salute, officially marking the resumption of services to the Emilian capital. 
The resumption of services to Bologna will now offer customers even more travel options while ensuring that the highest standards of health and safety are met at every step of travellers’ journeys. Customers in Italy will also have the opportunity to connect to Dubai - which has reopened to tourism – and go further, to return home to their families, given that the Bologna-Dubai connection has always stood out for its high VFR (Visit Friend & Relatives) traffic component. 
"Italy is a major market for Emirates and we take great pride in the role we play in providing global connectivity both for business and leisure passengers in Bologna. The resumption of flights will enable companies in Emilia Romagna and beyond in exporting their products to many parts of the world. We remain committed to this market and look forward to continue working closely with our industry partners in Italy to provide the best possible services to our customers.” said Flavio Ghiringhelli, Emirates Country Manager in Italy.

Antonello Bonolis, Aviation Business and Corporate Communication Director of Bologna Airport, said: “Air transport is experiencing a delicate phase all over the world, to which our country and our airport are no exception. While we all share a common commitment to tackle the crisis and accelerate the economic awakening, the resumption of flights to the most important markets is of primary importance. In this sense, we enthusiastically welcome the reopening of the Bologna-Dubai route and the return of Emirates to our runways. It is not just a question of offering again connections with the Gulf, an area of undoubted interest for both business and freight traffic; for family travel and international tourism, which we hope will quickly become part of our lives again, as we were used to. But Emirates represents above all an excellent opportunity to rekindle relations with the whole of Asia, with southern Africa and with Oceania. The return of the UAE company is a sign of willingness to invest in the recovery. An investment that will give companies in our area new opportunities to reopen the dialogue with intercontinental markets, help the economy of our region and all of North-East and central Italy to restart”. 
Over the past few years, Emirates SkyCargo has carried out various shipments and tonnes of goods from Bologna to Dubai. The most frequently transported commodities include automotive spare parts, spare parts and machinery for the packaging industry, ceramic tiles, fruit and vegetables, shoes and clothing, but also cars luxury. 
Emirates' connections between Bologna and Dubai will operate on Fridays and Sundays, with flight EK093 departing from Dubai at 8:55 am and arriving in Bologna at 12:40 pm. Flight EK094 takes off from the Emilian capital at 2.30pm to arrive in Dubai at 11.20pm. In addition, starting from November 18, an additional daily frequency will be introduced which, at the same times, will be operated on Wednesday.