EMIRATES is to start twice-daily services to Auckland, New Zealand, from 1 August in a further development of services 'down under' for customers via both Sydney and Melbourne. With the opening of services to Brisbane from Dubai on 26 October that city will also be joined with an Emirates flight to Auckland. Emirates has full traffic rights between Auckland and all three Australian gateways, following a new agreement between the Governments of Australia and the UAE. The new services will provide an alternative single carrier routing to New Zealand from Birmingham, Gatwick, Heathrow and Manchester. http://www.emirates.com