Emirates Airlines is hopeful that this week’s discussions between stakeholders in the UAE and China will pave the way for the Dubai-based carrier to expand its network into the world’s second-largest market.
Orhan Abbas, Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations for the Far East at Emirates, stated in an interview, “China is one of our biggest markets, and if given the opportunity, we would like to expand.”
The airline currently operates 35 weekly flights between Dubai and Chinese cities, including twice-daily flights to Beijing and Shanghai, and a daily flight to Guangzhou.
Abbas noted that the talks in Beijing, which began on Tuesday, will continue through Wednesday.
He declined to specify the number of additional flights and routes Emirates aims to operate beyond the three major cities in China.
Abbas’s comments came during the opening of Emirates’ new travel facilitation office in Hong Kong, the first of its kind outside the UAE.
Located in the central business district, the facility allows customers to book flights, experience Emirates’ seats through simulations as if they were on the plane, and use large digital screens to explore destinations.
Dubai has once again established itself as the premier destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) globally, topping the Financial Times Ltd’s ‘fDi Markets’ rankings for Greenfield FDI projects in 2023.
This marks the third consecutive year Dubai has maintained this position. The city leads worldwide in attracting Greenfield FDI projects across key sectors such as consumer goods, energy, e-commerce, and tourism, excelling in areas of project attraction, capital inflow, and job creation through FDI.
