Disney World Nearer To Dubai With Orlando Route

As Emirates landed the first scheduled Airbus A380 superjumbo in Orlando, Florida, on Tuesday, its new partners in the city displayed staunch support for the open skies policy that lets the airline to now land in ten US gateways even as the big three US carriers continue their criticism of the airline.
The inaugural EK219 landed at 11.50am local time carrying passengers from 29 nations to Americas vacation heartland home to Disney World and Universal Studios. Orlando is the newest destination on Emirates ever-expanding route map and one that carries even greater significance amid accusations from US airlines American, Delta and United that Emirates, and other Gulf carriers, are unfairly subsidised.

Emirates has rebutted the claims with a 500-page document now submitted to the US government, said Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation and Chairman and CEO of Emirates airline and Group, in a press conference following the flights arrival at Orlando International Airport.
I think its simple and easy. We have an open bilateral agreement with the US. We are allied with the US and friends with many people. We can prove we are not subsidised, thats no 1, Shaikh Ahmad said. Its all about numbers and where the moneys coming from and where it is paid. If anybody is saying that we carried more passengers, if we are [its] because of our product. I think for anyone to judge us, they should be flying on our airline to be able to see for themselves what is exactly the product we have. I think the open sky policy will continue with the US; I am remaining very positive.
[Emirates] can rely on their family to be standing with them shoulder to shoulder, to change the approach, said Frank Kruppenbacher, chairman of the Greater Orlando Airport Authority. When we expanded, and I mean the big three [US airlines], nobody in these other countries was coming up with policies that said they cant expand. Were one world and one people and were going to stand and fight to make sure that open skies stays that way.
Shaikh Ahmad indicated that further US gateways would be announced shortly.

There are many points that we can still serve within the Florida area, or more central or also west coast [United States] area. So at the right time we will be announcing that. Fairly soon.

When asked what attracted the airline to Orlando, he said the airline is attracted to the people Emirates thinks will be flying here. I know lot of people were asking, why dont you fly to Florida?. We have to make sure a market will be there. I think this destination will have a lot of business.
The airline was keen to stress the use of US-made Boeing 777 on the route going forward the A380 flight was a one-off and played up the trade and tourism benefits of flying in and out of Orlando on a daily basis, with the ability to carry 266 seats in three classes and 15,000kg of cargo per flight.
The new route puts the Magic Kingdom, as the original Disney theme park in Orlando is called, one 15-hour, 50-minute flight away from Dubai and its connections to over 140 destinations.

Tourism is the biggest draw to Orlando, which is home to not only Disney World but also Universal Studios and its Harry Potter World of Wizarding attraction, Sea World and Legoland. Disney will also open a new Star Wars themed land in the future.

Nearby are Tampa and its Busch Gardens theme park, and the Space Coast, with not only Kennedy Space Centre, but miles of beaches. A total of 97 million visitors went to Florida, which is around the size of England and Wales, in 2014, according to Florida governor Rick Scott.
For travellers seeking connections, Orlando also represents a jumping-off station to points south, via Emirates code-share with JetBlue, which has a hub in the city, flying to the Caribbean and Latin America. Another Emirates code-share, Alaska Airlines, also flies into Orlando.

Orlando isnt just about rollercoasters and nightly parades, however; the city is hoping to reap rewards from the route, which Shaikh Ahmad say had been five years in the making.
The benefits go beyond the $100 million impact and the partnership that we enjoy today, said Theresa Jacobs, mayor of Orange County, at the conference.