Dubai: On Tuesday, Emirates launched new services from Dubai to Yinchuan and Zhengzhou, two of the fastest-growing cities in mid-west China. The airline now offers connectivity to five destinations in the world’s most populous country that include Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.
Emirates will use a Boeing 777-200LR aircraft in a three-class configuration for its latest destinations.
The inaugural flight carrying a VIP delegation — led by Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation and Chairman and CEO of Emirates airline and Group, was greeted with a water cannon salute when it touched down at Yinchuan Hedong International Airport at 13:35pm local time.
Addressing a crowded press conference dominated by Chinese media, Shaikh Ahmad said: “This new route will provide citizens in and near both cities with convenient and fast connections to destinations in the Middle East, Africa and Europe via Dubai. We are confident the new air transport links will also help boost trade and tourism flows to the growing central and western parts of China.”
Last year, Emirates carried more than 1.3 million passengers and 106,000 tonnes of cargo on its China services.
Emirates’ passenger traffic out of China is highly diversified. Thirty-four per cent of Emirates’ China traffic travels to the UAE and Middle East. This increases to 56 per cent when combined with Africa.
With the opening of these new strategic routes, Emirates plans to support China as it looks to connect with the world through its Belt and Road Initiative.
Trade links between China and Dubai have been on the upswing with a growing number of Chinese banks and businesses establishing branches within Dubai’s financial districts.
The emirate is now home to more than 3,000 Chinese companies and 200,000 Chinese residents. Growth in visitor numbers to Dubai from China grew by 25 per cent in 2014.
Water cannons' salute of the inaugural flight.
Emirates flights to Yinchuan and Zhengzhou will depart on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from Dubai as EK326 at 0245 hrs, arriving at Yinchuan Hedong International Airport at 1335 hrs.
The service will then depart from Yinchuan at 1520 hrs and arrive at Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport at 1700 hrs. The return flight, EK327, will depart Zhengzhou at 2110 hrs, arriving at Yinchuan at 2255 hrs.
It will then depart Yinchuan at 0040 hrs, arriving in Dubai at 0430 hrs the next day (as per the summer schedule).
