More A380s return to boost international flights

The Victorian Government is supporting Emirates to help fast-track the return of international flights and tourists back to Melbourne.

Emirates will double its Dubai to Melbourne service to two daily A380 flights from 1 May, growing its total seats to over 375,000 a year to Victoria.

The extra flights will create more than 1000 new jobs in Victoria’s aviation and tourism sectors and help strengthen trade links with major European economies and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Emirates carried 22 per cent of the 1.3 million passengers that arrived in Victoria from key European countries such as Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Switzerland, which added $86 million to the Victorian economy in 2019.

Victoria’s international aviation sector directly employs 6,700 people and supports thousands of other jobs.