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Emirates to expand mainland China operations, resumes passenger services to Shanghai and Beijing

Emirates will resume passenger services to Shanghai starting with two weekly flights operated by an Airbus A380 aircraft from January 20, 2023

Emirates will ramp up its operations in China ahead of the New Lunar Year and in response to strong travel demand, boosting connectivity to its gateways; Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing as the country reopens its borders and eases its Covid-related entry restrictions.

Shanghai – service resumption from January 20, 2023 with twice weekly service, gradually increasing to daily service from March 1, 2023.

Emirates will resume passenger services to Shanghai starting with two weekly flights operated by an Airbus A380 aircraft from January 20, 2023, with EK302 departing from Dubai to Shanghai non-stop and EK303 making a short stop in Bangkok before returning to Dubai. This service will ramp up in frequency to four weekly flights operated by a three-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft from 02 February 2023.

During this period, Emirates’ flight EK302 will depart Dubai at 03:45hrs and arrive in Shanghai at 15:40hrs. The return flight EK303 will depart Shanghai at 17:40hrs and arrive in Bangkok at 21:45hrs before taking off from the Thai capital at 23:20hrs and arriving in Dubai at 03:20hrs the next day.

Emirates will further boost its Dubai-Shanghai route from March 1, 2023 with a daily non-stop service. Emirates’ flight EK304 will depart Dubai at 09:15hrs and arrive in Shanghai at 21:05hrs. The return flight EK303 will leave Shanghai at 23:00hrs and arrive in Dubai at 05:20hrs the next day.

Guangzhou – daily nonstop from February 1, 2023

Emirates currently operates a non-stop flight from Dubai to Guangzhou as EK362, and a return flight from Guangzhou to Dubai via Bangkok as EK363, four times a week.

Starting from 1 February 2023, the airline will increase services between Dubai and Guangzhou with EK362/EK363 operating as daily non-stop flights with the flagship Emirates A380. Emirates’ flight EK362 will leave Dubai at 10:45hrs and arrive in Guangzhou at 21:45hrs. The return flight EK363 will depart Guangzhou at 00:15hrs and arrive in Dubai at 05:15hrs.*

Beijing – service resumption from March 15, 2023

Operated by a three-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, Emirates’ flight EK308/ EK307 will return to China’s capital city Beijing with a daily non-stop service from Dubai, starting from 15 March 2023. Emirates’ flight EK308 will leave Dubai at 10:50hrs and arrive in Beijing at 22:20hrs. The return flight EK307 will depart Beijing at 00:40hrs and arrive in Dubai at 05:00hrs.

This will bring the airline’s operations in the market up to 21 weekly flights, providing increased choice and flexibility for both business and leisure travellers, and contributing to China’s tourism recovery.

Emirates has been serving China for nearly two decades and has established its presence in the Chinese market through strategic partnerships and a continued commitment to the local community throughout the pandemic.

Emirates offers travellers increased connectivity to eight domestic points via Guangzhou, through its codeshare agreement with China Southern Airline, while simultaneously providing its partner-airline’s customers access to additional destinations within the Middle East and Africa.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

> Shanghai will initially be served with two weekly flights starting from 20 January 2023

> Beijing will be served with a daily non-stop flight starting from 15 March 2023

> Emirates’ four weekly flights to Guangzhou will increase to a daily service from 1 February 2023

— muzaffarrizvi@khaleejtimes.com