A major airline today announced a second daily link between Scotland and the Middle East.

The Emirates non-stop evening flight between Glasgow and Dubai will launch on June 1.

Transport chiefs said the route would boost Scotland's global connectivity, benefiting business and tourism.

The route links Scotland with more than 115 destinations via Dubai.

Emirates are launching the second daily service following the success of the Glasgow route, which has carried more than 1.7 million passengers and over 46 million kilos of cargo to and from the Middle East and beyond since its launch in 2004.

Laurie Berryman, Emirates vice president UK and Ireland, said: "Our Glasgow route has been a real success story and we are extremely confident that there is the demand for additional services flying east to Dubai and onward to our global network of over 115 destinations.

"The service brings real benefits to Scotland's economy and its international competitiveness.

"I feel very confident that the demand is here in Scotland to support this route."

He said the route will probably create between 10 and 15 jobs in Glasgow.

The additional flight, coupled with an aircraft upgrade on the existing service, will increase Emirates' capacity to and from Glasgow by 47%, an extra 199 seats each way.

It will also provide an additional 13 tonnes of daily cargo capacity each way, a 59% increase.

It is estimated that the new route will boost the local economy by £33 million in 2012 alone and by more than £200 million over the next five years.

The new service will be an Airbus A340-300 aircraft which will offer first class for the first time, as well as business and economy.

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: "This route opens up so much in the way of connections with traditional and emerging markets in Asia, South East Asia, Australasia and Africa.

"We currently live in a global market where it's vital for the interests of our businesses in Scotland that those connections through top quality air travel are secured and this announcement today helps to do that."