Emirates is upping capacity on its St Petersburg route.
The carrier currently operates a daily A330-200 service as EK175/176 between Dubai and the Russian city. In early October, this will become a six-times weekly service with no flights on Saturdays.
From October 25, a B777-300ER will replace the A330-200 - a capacity increase of 50 per cent.
The B777 will be configured in three classes, with eight first class suites, 42 seats in business and 310 in economy.
From December 1, a seventh weekly flight will be reinstated on Saturdays.
Outbound service EK175 departs Dubai at 0920 and arrives in St Petersburg at 1435, with return leg EK176 leaving St Petersburg at 1635 and landing in Dubai at 2345.
Emirates senior vice president Thierry Aucoc said: "Since 2011, when Emirates launched flights to and from St Petersburg, we have carried over 500,000 passengers on the route.
"Counting these figures alongside our double-daily flights to Moscow, takes the total to over 3.6 million passengers travelling on Emirates to and from Russia in the 12 years of operation, making it an important market not only for Emirates, but for Dubai as a destination."
Last week, Emirates took delivery of four wide-bodied aircraft in one day - a company record (see news, September 3).
Graham Smith
