United Airlines has resumed operations in Dubai, breaking an almost seven-year absence from the Gulf city.
On Saturday night, the airline began service on a brand-new 6,861-mile route between Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and Dubai International Airport (DXB), taking more than 250 passengers on an 11-hour, 59-minute flight to the United Arab Emirates.
While excitement beamed from takeoff to touchdown, the new flight is being heralded as a game-changer for United, as it looks to open new markets throughout the Middle East, Asia, Africa and beyond.
Thanks to a brand-new, previously unimaginable agreement, United passengers will now be transported by Emirates Airline on flights outside of Dubai. (United will follow suit in a few Emirates-served U.S. markets.)
Most of the middle to late 2010s saw United, along with Big 3 competitors Delta and American, united in protests against the so-called ME3 airlines: Emirates, Qatar Airlines, and Etihad Airways.
The fast-growing Middle Eastern carriers were accused by American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines of receiving government subsidies from their respective countries, allowing them to offer superior service on lengthy routes to the United States for a competitive price. Moreover, United discontinued operating flights to Dubai from its headquarters in Washington, D.C., in 2016, claiming an excess of Emirates flights.
