Dubai-based Emirates airline announced on Monday it would launch non-stop services to Kozhikode with flights on six days every week from July 1.

After Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode will become the third city in Kerala to be connected by non-stop Emirates flights from Dubai, a statement released by the airline said in Dubai on Monday.

"Kozhikode and the state of Kerala have a long-standing trade relationship with the Arabian peninsula that extends back into history," Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, chairman and chief executive Emirates Airline and Group, said.

"We are delighted to be able to provide a non-stop air link between Dubai and Kozhikode, which will help increase trade opportunities, and also make it more convenient for the large non-resident Indian community in the Gulf to visit their families and friends," he added.

With the launch of new service, Kozhikode will also become Emirates' 10th destination in India.

On the Dubai-Kozhikode route, Emirates will initially operate its Boeing 777-200 and Airbus A330-200 aircraft, offering over 4,000 business and economy class seats and close to 200 tonnes of cargo capacity per week in both directions.

Kozhikode is a popular tourist destination with scenic beaches, heritage sites and numerous cultural arts and festivals. It is also a trade and marketing centre for commodities such as spices, rubber and industrial exports, the statement added.

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