Emirates targets more China and India flights

Emirates, today renewed its relations with two of the world’s fastest-growing economies, India and China, as its inaugural flights to both Guangzhou and Kozhikode took off from Dubai International Airport.  

Emirates is launching six flights a week each to Guangzhou, China’s third major air hub and leading manufacturing centre, and Kozhikode, key commercial and tourist gateway in the Southern Indian state of Kerala.   

Guangzhou is Emirates’ fourth destination in China and increases the airline’s weekly frequency to the country to 48 flights. Kozhikode, Emirates’ third gateway in Kerala and its tenth in India, advances the airline’s India presence to 125 flights per week – the highest frequency operated by an international carrier serving India.  

Emirates has been steadily building up its presence in the two Asian economies, having previously announced additional frequencies to Shanghai and Beijing in China, and New Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad in India.  

The airline’s top executives comprising Richard Vaughan, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations East Asia and Australasia; Pradeep Kumar, Senior Vice President, Cargo Revenue Optimisation; and Salem Obaidalla, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, West Asia, Indian Ocean and Africa flagged off the inaugural flights.  

Guangzhou, the economic centre of the Pearl River Delta, has very strong business connections with Europe and Africa. The city’s chief export items include electrical goods such as televisions and refrigerators, as well as consumer products. Trade between China and Africa currently exceeds US$60 billion, making China one of the top three trading partners of Africa. It is expected to cross US$ 100 billion by 2010.  

Further bearing testimony to China’s burgeoning economy are statistics released by The World Tourism Organisation that forecast China will become the largest inbound and outbound tourist country by 2020. Tourism growth in China has outstripped the GDP growth rate since 1990. Generating US$461 billion of economic activity last year, China’s travel and tourism industry has successfully established it as Asia’s largest outbound tourist source nation, outranking Japan. At present, Guangzhou city attracts large contingents of European visitors to its historical sites that include 123 state-protected sites.  

Richard Vaughan thanked the Chinese government and aviation authorities for their support and stressed Emirates’ commitment to the market: “Emirates’ sprawling global network, including 22 European and 15 African gateways, will support China’s economic and tourism industries. Emirates services will assist the Chinese tourism authorities in their drive to attract more tourists and at the same time strengthen the trade momentum between China and Africa, currently growing at a robust 30 per cent.”  

Emirates’ flights from Europe and Africa, particularly from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, South Africa, Kenya, Cote D’Ivoire and Ghana connect to China within four to seven hours of transit time in Dubai. 

He added: “Emirates’ efficient and reliable air links will facilitate inbound arrivals from over 60 countries on six continents, and will support the Chinese authorities as they ready to welcome over half a million international tourists for the Beijing Olympics 2008.” 

Kozhikode – a port city in the Indian state of Kerala – has been frequented by Middle East traders as early as the seventh century. More recently, Kozhikode is frequented by international visitors attracted by the city’s tourist sites such as Kappad beach which welcomed Vasco Da Gama in the 15th century, quaint fishing and boating colonies, bird and dolphin sanctuaries for the animal lovers, as well as rock climbing and mountain trekking sites for the adventure-hungry. Kozhikode is also the original home of millions of Keralites who work and live in the Gulf region. 

Salem Obaidalla noted: “Emirates presently operates services to Thiruvananthapuram and Cochin. The launch of Emirates’ flights to Kozhikode will allow international tourists to cover the length and breadth of Kerala more conveniently, by enabling them to arrive in Northern Kerala and depart from the state’s southern region or vice versa. The new flights will also serve Keralites living in the Gulf region and visiting home each year.” 

“Emirates has a robust presence in the Middle East, serving the region with 163 weekly flights to 12 gateways via its Dubai hub. We have timed our flights such that they offer convenient connections to Kozhikode via Dubai.” 

Emirates will operate an Airbus A330-200 on the Guangzhou route. It will operate both Boeing 777-200 and A330-200 aircraft on the Kozhikode route.  

Guangzhou flight schedule:
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays 

EK362 departs Dubai at 10:35 hours and arrives in Guangzhou at 22:20 hours

EK363 departs Guangzhou at 23:55 hours and arrives in Dubai at 03:40 hours (next day)

Kozhikode flight schedule:

Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays

EK562 departs Dubai at 14:15 hours and arrives in Kozhikode at 19:50 hours

EK563 departs Kozhikode at 21:20 hours and arrives in Dubai at 23:40 hours   

Thursdays and Saturdays

EK560 departs Dubai at 03:30 hours and arrives in Kozhikode at 09:05 hours

EK561 departs Kozhikode at 10:35 hours and arrives in Dubai at 12:55 hours

A Report by the Mole