Dubai’s state-owned carrier Emirates will today start operating daily services to Jeddah using its Airbus A380 aircraft.

Emirates has also added business class seats on flights to Jeddah, which is on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast.

The use of the Airbus A380 plane has increased total capacity on the Dubai to Jeddah service by 17 per cent.

The airline will also increase flights to Riyadh from 22 June by operating four additional flights each week. The four additional routes will only be operational during the summer months up until 30 October.

Emirates is also starting a temporary service to Medina from 2 July to 24 September to accommodate the increased demand during the summer and Ramadan periods.

The carrier will start flights to Baghdad on 1 July (MEED 10:5:10). The Iraqi capital is one of six new routes that Emirates has announced for 2010.