In July, an Emirates aircraft takes off from Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in Guangdong province. After China optimized its COVID 19 measures, Emirates will increase its operations in China to meet surging travel demand, aiming to resume flight capacity in China to the level seen in 2019 by the end of the year, the airline said.
Emirates will resume daily direct flights between Dubai and Beijing, using Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft. The company is hiring more ground staff at Beijing Capital International Airport and more sales staff at its Beijing office, which will bring Emirates' operations to 21 weekly flights in China.
In January, Emirates resumed its twice-weekly service that connects Shanghai and Dubai. The airline will increase the frequency of daily nonstop service from Wednesday. From Feb 1 onwards Emirates operated nonstop flights between Guangzhou, Guangdong province, and Dubai.
The occupancy rates of flights that connect Dubai and Shanghai have been satisfactory and sales of inbound flights to China have been booming. Adam Li, vice-president of Emirates' China unit, said the Chinese market resumed 50 percent to 60 percent of volume compared to the period before the epidemic.
After China opened its borders, the number of tourists who took flights from China grew rapidly, accounting for 40 percent to 50 percent of all passengers. The rest of the passengers are mainly business travelers and government officials, Li said.
Following the Pandemic, Emirates has increased in-flight meals and introduced a variety of cuisines and vegetarian options. It will also install high-speed In-Flight Wi-Fi service onboard 50 new Airbus A 350 aircraft, scheduled to enter service in 2024.
Emirates hired some 6,000 flight attendants last year, and has increased flights from Dubai to popular destinations including London and South Africa. The airline plans to invest $135 million in the construction of a pilot training center in Dubai, which is expected to be operational in 2024.
With China's easing of entry restrictions, the global air travel market is on track for further recovery and more carriers plan to resume flights or boost frequencies.
This will be the 15th route that Cathay Pacific will resume on the Chinese mainland.
Starting March 24, Tianjin Airlines will resume flights that connect Tianjin, Zhengzhou in Henan province with Sydney, which will become the first regular intercontinental route resumed by the airline. It is of great importance to support daily business, tourism and cargo transportation between China and Australia, according to Tianjin Airlines.
After China's new flying season begins in late March, the capacity of carriers, especially foreign carriers, will gradually adjust. The number of international flights available is expected to increase, said Shang Kejia, deputy director of the Civil Aviation Administration of China.
Shang said that the growth in international business personnel exchanges and the growing international travel demand from tourists and students will contribute to the recovery.