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Shanghai, one of the biggest cities in China, is scheduled to join Emirates’ list of Airbus A380 destinations, when the airline starts its non-stop, three days a week service from Dubai on 27th April 2011.
Emirates, the national airline of Dubai, is all set to include Shanghai in its ever-expanding list of Airbus A380 destinations. The carrier will begin its non-stop service from Dubai to Shanghai from 27th April 2011.
Shanghai, the most populated city in China, will be the third destination in the region of Greater China that will welcome the Airbus A380 operated by Emirates. The airline launched its superjumbo for Beijing on 1st August 2010 and for Hong Kong two months later.
The airline’s 489-seater A380 is going to operate three days a week (Wednesday, Friday and Sunday). The flight EK302 will be departing from the Dubai International Airport at 0310hrs (local time) and will be arriving at Shanghai Pudong International Airport at 1530hrs (local). The return flight EK303 is scheduled to depart from Shanghai at 2330hrs (local) and arrive in Dubai at 0430hrs (local) the next day.
Being the largest passenger airliner, the A380 flight on Dubai-Shanghai route ensures a higher number of seats for all the cabin classes. This means that higher number of travellers booking cheap tickets in the economy class on flights from Dubai to Shanghai can be accommodated aboard the massive jetliner. A higher supply of cheap economy tickets on the flight would spell as a great advantage for the increasing traffic of passengers between the two destinations.
The arrival time of the Emirates’ A380 at the Dubai airport allows the travellers from China to have a convenient transfer travel to various destinations that are served by Emirates. The premier airline serves almost all major destinations in the Middle East, several destinations in Africa and a growing number of cities in Europe. Emirates recently added Geneva and the Copenhagen to its flight network in Europe.
His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline & Group, was pleased with the development and appreciated the support offered by the authorities in China and Shanghai.
“Thanks to the support that we have received from the Civil Aviation Administration of China and the Shanghai Airport Authority, Shanghai will become the latest destination to join our global Airbus A380 network. Emirates currently has 15 A380s in service, flying from Dubai to 10 countries around the world,” Sheikh Ahmed was quoted in the press release published on the Emirates’ website.
“Emirates has enjoyed a long and successful partnership with China, we began cargo operations between Dubai and Shanghai in 2002, and then started passenger services in 2004. The A380 launch demonstrates our continuing commitment to this important country, in addition to boosting trade between China and Dubai, the Middle East and Africa,” added Sheikh Ahmed.
Mr Yu Wuyan, Vice President, Shanghai Airport Authority & Chairman of the Board, Shanghai International Airport was also quoted in the company’s press release as stating, “We are happy to welcome Shanghai’s first A380 flight to land at Shanghai Pudong Airport, having adapted the facilities and enforced thorough safeguard measures for A380s to ensure the smooth operations of this revolutionary superjumbo.”
As of now, travellers are able to buy tickets on Emirates‘ double-daily flights to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, and daily services to Guangzhou; while the airline’s fleet of 15 A380s are currently operating on services from Dubai to London Heathrow, Manchester, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Toronto, Seoul, Bangkok, Beijing, Jeddah, New York, Hong Kong, Sydney and Auckland.