Emirates has resumed its flights to two South American destinations, Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires, which were previously suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Flight EK247, operated with a Boeing 777 aircraft, received warm welcomes on its journey into Brazil and Argentina on Wednesday.

Emirates executives Salem Obaidalla, Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations, Americas; and Stephane Perard, Manager for Brazil, marked the resumption of the Dubai-Rio de Janeiro-Buenos Aires route with a symbolic ribbon-cutting before boarding the flight for Buenos Aires.

In Buenos Aires’ Ezeiza's Ministro Pistarini International Airport, flight EK247 was met by Argentinian officials including Alexis Raúl Guerrera, Minister of Transport; Matías Lammens, Minister of Tourism; Paola Tamburelli, Director of Civil Aviation; Sebastian Villar Guarino, General Manager Ezeiza Airport, amongst other members of the airport’s management team; Oscar Suarez, Director of International Markets, IMPROTUR, and Saeed Abdullah Al Qamzi, UAE Ambassador to the Argentine Republic.

With the resumption of services to Argentina, which was first launched in 2012, Emirates has restored over 90 percent of its pre-pandemic network, comprising over 130 destinations.

The resumption of Emirates flights will also facilitate trade between Argentina, Brazil and the rest of the world through Emirates SkyCargo, the airline's cargo division.

wam