UAE: Emirates To Fly To More Destinations In China

Emirates Airline has announced that it will expand its services in mainland China with four weekly flights to Yinchuan and Zhengzhou, starting from May 3, 2016.

The Dubai-based carrier said in a statement that the new services will expand its destination offering on the mainland to five, including Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou.

Yinchuan, the capital of Ningxia which has a large Muslim population, is positioned as a hub for economic and trade cooperation and cultural exchange between China and the Middle East.

Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan Province and a major transportation interchange for central China, is an educational, technological and economic centre.

“With the opening of these new strategic routes, Emirates looks forward to contributing to the enhancement of China’s trade links with the rest of the world, in particular with the UAE and Arab world.

We believe the new international air links that we are launching will help create tourism and trade opportunities for Chinese business and leisure travellers that may not otherwise exist,” said Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman and chief executive, Emirates Airline and Group.

Emirates flights to Yinchuan and Zhengzhou will depart on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday using a Boeing 777-200LR aircraft, offering 266 seats and 14 tonnes of cargo capacity in the bellyhold.

Popular commodities expected to be transported on these services include electronics, such as mobile phones from Zhengzhou, and agricultural products such as goji berries and cashmere from Yinchuan.

Ties between Dubai and China continue to grow stronger. A growing number of Chinese banks and businesses are establishing branches within Dubai’s business and financial districts and the city is now home to over 3,000 Chinese companies and 200,000 Chinese residents. Growth in visitor numbers to Dubai from China grew by 25 percent in 2014.

Emirates was the first airline to establish non-stop connectivity between the Middle East and mainland China, first with freighter operations to Shanghai starting in 2002, followed by passenger services in 2004.

“As China's regions continue to open up to the global economy, Emirates remains keen to support this with the further expansion of air services in mainland China. In particular we’re interested in exploring the opportunity of daily services to Hangzhou and Chongqing, and a second daily service to Guangzhou,” said Al Maktoum.