Emarat starts sea-plane operation in UAE
From the Dubai Gulf News:
"An air taxi service using seaplanes is set to start today for those who want a quicker - and more adventurous - way to travel between Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Using two nine-seater Cessna Caravan sea-planes, the service will initially serve tourists and Eid holiday makers who want sight-seeing sorties over the UAE landscape, according to Qutaiba Zahde, marketing manager of Emarat Link Aviation.
"Our sightseeing flights will be for the Eid holidaymakers in the UAE as well as tourists coming down here for the shopping extravaganza," said Zahde.
The commercial air shuttle service, set to start next month, will cover the 150-km distance between Abu Dhabi and Dubai in about 25 minutes and will take off and land in 'floating terminal' facilities in these cities.
The fly-in-style service is mainly geared towards local businessmen, tourists and business visitors who are in a hurry.
"This service provides a quicker link between the UAE's two major cities while allowing travellers to enjoy the country's scenery from the sky. Air hostesses will be on hand to make check-in fast and easy," said Zahde.
The company is offering a promotional price of Dh550 for a round-trip ticket, including a chauffeur-driven limousine drop-off.
The pioneering air taxi service will be operated by a company owned by UAE and Swiss investors, said Zahde. He declined to elaborate.
The brand-new U.S.-made Cessnas are single-engine propeller-driven planes configured with sea-landing gear and are the safest in their class, said Zahde.
Hourly flights originating in both cities start at 7am up to 6pm.
Emarat Link will also offer charter service and sight-seeing tours during Fridays and public holidays. The company will also offer services to offshore operations.
"We have made contacts with travel agents, tour operators and hotels to popularise this service. There's a good market since sea-planes are a novel thing," said Zahde.
Reporters were taken yesterday on a sightseeing flight over Dubai as part of its media launch."