Emirates is targeting a load factor of at least 75 per cent during the first year of its new daily Dubai-Helsinki service, as the airline looks to build Finland into its latest Nordic market and tap growing travel demand from the UAE, Gulf and Asia.
Adnan Kazim, Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer at Emirates, said reaching 75 per cent or higher would represent a strong level of occupancy during the route’s first year as the airline develops Helsinki as a new direct market. “If we reach 75 per cent or more, that would be a good load factor for the first year as we build Helsinki as a new market for us,” Kazim said.
The year-round direct service is also expected to change how Finnish passengers use the Emirates network. Travellers from Finland previously connected through other Nordic gateways served by the airline, including Copenhagen and Stockholm.
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Kazim said removing the need to travel through another airport would provide a more seamless journey and could also attract passengers who may not previously have considered the destination.
The airline expects demand to come from both directions, with Finland attracting travellers from the UAE and wider Gulf while Dubai could draw Finnish visitors, particularly during Finland’s colder winter months. Kazim said Emirates is seeing strong outbound travel from the UAE to Scandinavian countries, with Helsinki adding a new option to the airline’s Nordic network.
Finland’s appeal, he said, extends beyond a single season, pointing to its natural landscape, lakes and forests as well as attractions such as the Northern Lights. This could support demand during both summer and winter rather than positioning the country solely as a seasonal destination.
The route is also expected to draw connecting passengers through Dubai. Kazim said passengers on the inaugural service included groups arriving from markets such as Taipei, South Korea and Japan, alongside traffic originating in the UAE and Gulf.
Emirates now serves all four Nordic countries, although Kazim did not disclose which destinations could be added next, saying future expansion plans would be announced at the appropriate time.
Cargo demand starts strongly
Cargo is emerging as another significant component of the new route, with Kazim saying the aircraft departed with its available 16 tonnes of cargo capacity filled. Forward bookings for freight are also strong, he said, with commodities expected to include perishable goods such as fish and salmon, pharmaceuticals, machinery and other high-value products.
Demand for transporting goods from Finland existed even before the non-stop passenger service was introduced. Emirates previously moved Finnish cargo by road to neighbouring Nordic markets, including Denmark, Sweden and Norway, before loading it onto flights. The direct Helsinki service is expected to make those shipments faster and easier while providing onward connections through Dubai to other markets across the Emirates network.
Source: Khaleej Times