Emirates touches down for the first time in Antananarivo

Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, has landed in Antananarivo, Madagascar for the first time.

The arrival of EK707 was celebrated with a water canon salute at Ivato International Airport, followed by an exclusive event for VIPs, government officials, industry guests, and media. His Excellency, Andry Rajoelina, President of the Republic of Madagascar and the First Lady greeted the Emirates delegation, led by Adnan Kazim, Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer; Adil Al Ghaith, Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations, Gulf, Middle East and Central Asia; Badr Abbas, Divisional Senior Vice President of Emirates SkyCargo and Sami Aqil Abdullah, Senior Vice President of Emirates Airport Services Outstation and Business Support, as well as international media.

Fostering stronger links between the UAE and Madagascar, Mohammad Lootah, President, CEO of Dubai Chambers, His Excellency Jamal Al Hai, Deputy CEO of Dubai Airports and Major General Talal Ahmed Al Shangeti, General Director Assistant of Airport Passport Sector also joined the inaugural flight, along with Buti Qurwash, Senior Vice President Safety & Security at Dubai Airports; Rabie Atieh, CEO Transguard Group and Abid Hamza, General Manager of Fast Logistics.

Commanding the inaugural flight to Antananarivo was Canadian national Captain Bruce Pope and First Officer Solo Chuk, a Malagasy pilot who has been flying for Emirates for 14 years. The inaugural flight operated with an almost full passenger load from Mahe, the Seychelles, taking advantage of the enhanced travel options available on the linked service by merging two trips into one.

Following the welcome ceremony, Adnan Kazim, along with senior representatives showcased the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft flying on the route in a three-class configuration* to His Excellency President Rajoelina along with a group of dignitaries, government representatives, media, guests and members of the travel industry. The aircraft features eight private suites in First Class, 42 lie flat seats in Business Class and 310 spacious seats in Economy Class.

His Excellency, Andry Rajoelina, President of the Republic of Madagascar, said, “In just four months, through shared determination and hard work, we have successfully launched this long-awaited inaugural flight between Dubai and Antananarivo with Emirates. This is a historic moment for Madagascar, and I am convinced that it will act as a catalyst and a true lever for tourism and economic development in our country. Madagascar opens its skies to Emirates, and through Emirates, Madagascar opens itself to the world. Together, let's continue to dream, build, and grow for the good of our nation.”

Commenting on the start of operations, Adnan Kazim said, “Madagascar is a new and exciting destination on our vast global network, unlocking a world of natural wonders, rare and diverse wildlife, and a rich, vibrant culture. As the Malagasy government continues to grow its tourism industry with the aim to attract one million tourists by 2028, we proudly support this vision by enhancing connectivity and premium travel options to encourage more international travellers to discover the island.”

We would like to thank the Malagasy authorities, including the Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Tourism and Ravinala Airports Group, as well as all stakeholders and authorities in Madagascar and the UAE for their support and we look forward to providing our unique product and award-winning service to travellers who have chosen Madagascar as their destination of choice for leisure and business.”

EK707 departs from Dubai to the Seychelles at 0855hrs, arriving in Mahe at 1335hrs*, and continues to Antananarivo to land at 1650hrs. The return flight EK708 departs Antananarivo at 1835hrs, landing in Mahe at 2220hrs, and taking off from Mahe at 2350hrs to Dubai, landing at 0420hrs the next day. The four-weekly service operates on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. The flight times have been scheduled to optimise connections to and from key points in Europe, the Far East, West Asia and the Middle East/GCC, streamlining international travel to and from Madagascar.

Fly Better with inflight services
Delivering on its global fly better promise, Emirates provides an outstanding travel experience, with elevated comfort and thoughtful touches in every class. Passengers can dine on regionally inspired multi-course menus curated by a team of award-winning chefs, complimentary in every class. On the Mahe-Antananarivo leg of the inaugural flight, passengers in First and Business Class were treated to tropical fruit plates featuring local produce and a specially crafted Vanilla Mojito, drawing inspiration directly from Madagascar Vanilla, muddled with coconut water, mint, lime, rum and soda water.

Enhancing premium travel options, Emirates is the only airline operating to Madagascar with three dedicated classes of travel, including First Class, featuring true inflight luxury, on the Mahe-Antananarivo leg. Akin to a private hotel room in the clouds, passengers traveling in First Class can indulge in sumptuous ala carte cuisine and free-flowing premium beverages in private closed doors suites.

Emirates award-winning inflight entertainment platform, ice, is available on every screen in all classes, offering over 6,500 channels of entertainment in multiple languages. French-speakers can enjoy the 363 Hollywood movies dubbed in French, or one of the 62 iconic French originals such as Anatomie d'une chute, The 400 Blows, The Chorus, Jules and Jim; while music lovers can tune in to the albums and playlists featuring artists such as Aya Nakamura, Dadju, Maître Gims, Kendji Girac, Vitaa & Slimane, Johnny Hallyday, Françoise Hardy, and Michel Sardou.

Explore Treasure Island
As the world’s fourth largest island, Madagascar offers travellers with a flair for adventure an entirely unique experience. Home to a wealth of precious biodiversity, with some of the world’s rarest plant and animal species, and boasting three World Heritage UNESCO sites, travellers can expect stunning scenery, rich culture and once-in-a-lifetime wildlife excursions.

To protect the intricacies of the natural world, Madagascar encourages ecotourism, enabling visitors to immerse themselves in the abundance of nature and embrace the local culture while respecting the environment.