Emirates has announced a 40% increase in flights to China, citing robust demand from the region. Chief Commercial Officer Adnan Kazim confirmed the airline’s plans to bring back the double-decker Airbus A380 jets on its China routes, reversing a prior shift to smaller Boeing 777 aircraft.
This optimistic approach toward the China market stands in sharp contrast to that of many western airlines. Major carriers like Lufthansa, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, and Scandinavian Airlines have reduced or suspended operations on select China routes, attributing the cutbacks to the effects of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and a drop in passenger demand.
The U.S.-China route has seen similar challenges, with recovery of flight capacity hampered by strained bilateral relations and reduced demand for business travel. Data from OAG shows that as of September 2024, the seat availability on U.S.-China flights was around 241,000, down 72% from 2019 levels.
Emirates, however, is pressing forward. The airline currently offers twice-daily flights to Shanghai and Beijing and daily flights to Guangzhou. Kazim also noted that Emirates and Etihad Airways recently secured additional flight slots to China under a renegotiated bilateral agreement, permitting an additional 14 weekly flights each from Dubai and Abu Dhabi. This allows Emirates to expand its services from the current 35 weekly flights to 49.
Chinese airlines will benefit from the same increase, totaling 28 additional flight slots.
