UAE carrier Emirates has announced a ramp up in operations to China ahead of the New Lunar Year boosting connectivity to its gateways of Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing.
The new services will mean that Emirates’ operations in the market will rise to 21 weekly flights.
Emirates will resume passenger services to Shanghai with two weekly flights operated by an Airbus A380 aircraft from January 20, 2023. EK302 will depart from Dubai to Shanghai and fly nonstop to Shanghai, while the return flight of EK303 will make a brief stop in Bangkok before returning to Dubai.
Emirates added that the Shanghai service will increase in frequency to four weekly flights operated by a three-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft from February 2, 2023. At that time, EK302 will depart Dubai at 3.45am and arrive in Shanghai at 3.40pm. The return flight EK303 will depart Shanghai at 5.40pm and arrive in Bangkok at 9.45pm before taking off from the Thai capital at 11.20pm and arriving in Dubai at 3.20am the following day.
Emirates will then further boost its Dubai-Shanghai route from March 1, 2023 with a daily nonstop service. EK304 will depart Dubai at 9.15am and arrive in Shanghai at 9.05pm. The return flight EK303 will leave Shanghai at 11pm and arrive in Dubai at 5.20am the next day.
As for its Beijing service, that service will be operated by a three-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. EK308/ EK307 will return to China’s capital city of Beijing with a daily nonstop service from Dubai, starting March 15, 2023. EK308 will leave Dubai at 10.50am and arrive in Beijing at 10.20pm. The return flight EK307 will leave from Beijing at 12.40am and arrive in Dubai at 5am.
Apart from the resumption of services to Shanghai and Beijing, Emirates will also increase the frequency of flights on this sector. Emirates currently operates a nonstop flight from Dubai to Guangzhou as EK362, and a return flight from Guangzhou to Dubai via Bangkok as EK363, four times a week.
Starting February 1, 2023, it will increase services between Dubai and Guangzhou with EK362/EK363 operating as daily nonstop service using the A380. EK362 will leave Dubai at 10.45am and arrive in Guangzhou at 9.45pm. The return flight EK363 will depart Guangzhou at 12.15am and arrive in Dubai at 5.15am.
Emirates is in the midst of a major retrofitting programme for its A380s and B777 aircraft. It has completed the retrofitting of the first of 67 A380 aircraft earmarked for the programme. Work is slated to be completed on all 67 A380s by 2024, when the carrier will turn its attention to its fleet of B777 aircraft.
