Chennai marks 25 years of Emirates flights and cargo services
Last year, Emirates SkyCargo moved 19,300 tonnes from Chennai, including perishables, pharma, and general cargo.
Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, is celebrating 25 years of operations in Chennai, a key metropolitan hub and an important gateway in its South India network.
In addition to passenger services, Emirates SkyCargo, the cargo division of Emirates, has played a vital role in linking Chennai’s farmers, manufacturers, and small businesses to international markets. It continues to move high-value and time-critical goods, including perishables, electronics, and engineering products. In the last financial year, the carrier transported 19,300 tonnes of cargo from Chennai, comprising fresh fruits and vegetables, pharmaceuticals, and general cargo, helping local producers and exporters expand their reach worldwide, according to an official release from Emirates.
Upon the arrival of flight EK544 from Dubai, operated by a Boeing 777-300ER, the aircraft was welcomed with a celebratory water cannon salute in Chennai.
“We are delighted to celebrate 25 years of service to Chennai and connecting its people to our global network. We would like to thank M.K. Stalin, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, for joining us in our celebration, marking an important partnership that has grown from strength to strength over the years. The unwavering support of the authorities and all local stakeholders has been invaluable to the success of our operations, and we extend our sincere gratitude on the occasion,” says Mohammad Sarhan, Emirates’ VP, India and Nepal.
Since launching its inaugural flight on 1 September 2000, Emirates has carried over 10.7 million passengers on more than 38,000 flights between Dubai and Chennai.
For the past 25 years, Emirates has been instrumental in strengthening Chennai’s global connectivity, offering seamless access to its expansive network across six continents.
Chennai remains a key market for Emirates in South India, with strong demand driven by business travellers, leisure passengers, and the large visiting friends and relatives (VFR) segment. Popular destinations for travellers from Chennai include San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Washington D.C., Dallas, Boston, Seattle, Paris, London, Manchester, and Frankfurt.
Emirates also supports strong inbound flows into Chennai from the same key markets in addition to Kuwait, underscoring its role as a bridge for travel, trade, and cultural exchange, the release added.
