Emirates airline has been granted rights to operate additional flights to Australia, after a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the governments of Australia and the UAE. Under the agreement,  both governments will increase 56 frequencies per week between their countries. Signed in Abu Dhabi by Mohammed Ghanim Al Ghaith, GCAA Director-General, and Stephen Borthwick, General Manager Aviation Markets of the Department of Transport and Regional Services of Australia, the MoU would also eventually allow each country to operate a total of 112 weekly flights by 2011. Emirates will gradually increase its frequency to the four cities it currently serves — Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth — and the new agreement will allow Emirates to grow its services from 49 flights a week to 84 flights a week between now and 2011. This will mark an increase of 71 per cent in its services to Australia. Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group, said: “With its hub in Dubai, Emirates is in a unique position to connect passengers and cargo east and west as well as north and south of the equator. Australia is an important tourism and trade market for its customers worldwide. “