Emirates embarks on East Asia expansion with enhanced Air China partnership

Dubai: Emirates has significantly expanded its operations in East Asia, forging a stronger partnership with Air China through a newly signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Inked at the IATA AGM in New Delhi, the agreement lays the foundation for enhancing the existing reciprocal interline cooperation between the two carriers.

The MoU will see Emirates and Air China explore a reciprocal codeshare on select routes across their networks, covering trunk routes between China and the UAE and extending beyond Beijing and Dubai (subject to government approvals).

Additionally, the airlines will develop a framework for closer cooperation in cargo operations and their respective frequent flyer loyalty programmes. They also aim to improve connectivity by coordinating flight schedules and adjusting minimum connecting times. Once activated, customers of both airlines will benefit from a seamless booking process, single ticket itineraries and wider lounge access to new and exciting destinations.

Areas of collaboration

Beyond commercial cooperation, both carriers plan to exchange best practices in areas such as revenue management, data analytics, digitalisation, brand management and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), among others, through joint knowledge sharing and familiarisation visits.

Emirates operates 49 weekly flights to mainland China, with double daily services to Beijing and Shanghai and daily flights to Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Hangzhou starting July 30.

The move comes as Emirates charts further expansion into the East Asian market. “Building on this success, we’ve recently announced the launch of two new Chinese cities—Shenzhen and Hangzhou—which will strengthen our East Asia operations,” said Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer.

Kazim said Emirates’ partnership with Air China commenced 26 years ago (July 1999). “And since 2018, approximately 18,000 Emirates customers have benefited from the expanded connectivity offered through our interline agreement,” he added. He also highlighted the upcoming Shenzhen service featuring Emirates’ new Premium Economy cabin.

He added, “As we continue expanding our investments in the Chinese mainland, we look forward to deepening our partnership with Air China to meet growing travel demand in this strategic market and create new pathways for travel and trade between China and the global community.”

Yan Fei, Air China’s Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, echoed the positive sentiment: "Air China highly values the cooperation with Emirates. The signing of this memorandum is an important milestone for deepening cooperation between the two sides.” He added, “Collaborating with Emirates will further expand our route network in China-UAE and the global market and jointly promote global connectivity.”