Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/779073
40 Events maltatoday, SUNDAY, 29 JANUARY 2017 Emirates brings daily A380 service to Sao Paulo Emirates, voted the World's Best Airline in the 2016 Sky- trax World Airline Awards, an- nounced that it will operate the first ever scheduled commercial Airbus A380 flight to South America when it upgrades its Dubai (DXB) – Sao Paulo (GRU) service on March 26, 2017. Replacing the existing Boeing 777-300ER used on this route, the A380 service will mark the airline's 10th year of operations in Brazil, which it began with daily flights between Dubai and Sao Paulo in October 2007. Back then, Emirates had already made history by becoming the first airline to connect the Middle East and South America with a non-stop direct flight service. In 2012, Emirates expanded its presence in Brazil with the start of a daily service between Dubai and Rio de Janeiro. "The Emirates A380 is an iconic aircraft that continues to excite our customers and set the benchmark for travel comfort in commercial flying. We look for- ward to offering the award-win- ning Emirates A380 experience to our customers and to contin- ue contributing to the economic success of Brazil," said Hubert Frach, Emirates Divisional Sen- ior Vice President, Commercial Operations, West. "We made significant invest- ments to upgrade the facilities at GRU Airport – São Paulo In- ternational Airport in order to make it A380-compatible. We are very excited about Emirates' decision to deploy the first A380 in South America to our air- port", said Gustavo Figueiredo, GRU Airport CEO. Sao Paulo will join more than 40 destinations on Emirates' global network served by its highly popular A380 aircraft, including Tokyo Narita (com- mencing March 26, 2016), Bang- kok, Hong Kong, Beijing, Taipei, Seoul, Shanghai, and Guang- zhou. Emirates SkyCargo, the freight division of Emirates, facilitates trade between Brazil and its global trade partners. In addi- tion to the cargo capacity offered on the A380 to Sao Paulo, Emir- ates SkyCargo also operates a freighter twice a week from Viracopos carrying Brazilian exports to other global destina- tions. From March 26, EK261 will become an A380 flight, leaving Dubai (DXB) every day at 08:35 and arriving in Sao Paulo (GRU) at 16:30. The return flight, EK262, departs Sao Paulo (GRU) at 01:25 and lands in Dubai (DXB) at 22:55. Emirates operates daily sched- uled flights between Malta and Dubai on a Boeing 777-300 air- craft. From 1st February, Emir- ates will be re-routing its sched- uled daily service between Dubai and Malta via Larnaca, Cyprus, using a Boeing 777-300ER air- craft. The airline is currently offering customers an early bird offer to Cyprus in Economy Class starting from €143 per per- son for outbound travel until 31 December 2017. Tickets booked and purchased till 28 February 2017. emCare subscriber wins Hilton meal Great offers with HSBC #OneStepCloser Campaign PKF Malta Exhibition and New Year reception HSBC Malta has just launched its #OneSt- epCloser campaign with special offers on home loans, personal loans and a chance for credit card users to win their money back. During this cam- paign which follows last year's campaign, #StartsToday, HSBC will help customers who are buying their first home by provid- ing a special fixed interest rate of 2.5% until 30 June 2019 on home loans up to €300,000. Custom- ers taking up a per- sonal loan will not be charged any processing fees, whilst customers who use their credit cards to pay for their shopping or bills, will participate in a competition with the chance to win one of 10 cash prizes up to a maximum of €500 each. These campaign offers will be available till the end of February 2017. HSBC Malta Head of Retail Banking and Wealth Management Daniel Robinson said: "#OneStepCloser is specially designed to address directly the individual needs of customers and take them forward on the goals they have set for their future. When it comes to banking we are always there for our customers and this campaign cham- pions a sentiment that best sums up our role in helping people achieve their goals." Customers interested in learning more about this campaign and fur- ther information can be found on hsbc.com.mt/onestepcloser, by calling 2380 2000, or visiting the nearest branch. PKF Malta hosted a well-attended art exhibition and New Year's reception at the Casino Maltese in Val- letta on Friday, 13th January 2017. Proceeds collected from the sale of the paintings by artists Alexia Coppini, Anastasia Pace, Carmel Bonello, Clements Hasengschwandtner, Glenn El- lul, Ilina Filipova, Jacqueline Agius, Liudmyla Skri- vanek, Peter Rock and Winston Hassall were donat- ed to the Muscular Dystrophy Group of Malta as a New Year gesture. Margaret Micallef of Attard is the lucky winner of the emCare Christmas competition prize consisting of a meal with her family for up to six persons at the Hilton Malta hotel in St Julians. Ms Micallef won the prize follow- ing a draw from all the customers who during the Christmas period subscribed to an emCare one year contract of €48 for the hub and pendant. Whilst congratulating Ms At- tard, emCare's Operations & Sales Manager, Lucienne Bezzina explained that today emCare's services are compatible with Melita, GO and Vodafone service providers. The emCare hub and pendant solution provides a more personalized service to accom- modate the diversity of clients who have different requirements, depending on age, character and possible health conditions, among other factors. More information about em- Care's solutions is available on www.myemcare.com, by phoning on 21424949 or visiting emCare's Facebook page at www.facebook. com/emcare360. HSBC Malta is bringing first-time buyers #OneStepCloser to owning their home Pierre Mangion - Partner PKF Malta, Alexia Coppini – Artists and Capt. Graham S Carlton. Max Zammit & Mrs Nadine Zammit Ms Bezzina (left) speaks about emCare's services