On 1 September, Emirates’ first flight to Beijing winged its way on schedule, heralding the start of its daily non-stop services to the city and connecting the world to one of the fastest-growing economies on the planet.
Commenting on the rationale for starting services, Ghaith Al Ghaith, executive vice-president commercial operations worldwide said: “Beijing is doubly special as it is the once-traditional capital that has become the nerve-centre of China – a gigantic, dynamic country which has rewritten the world economic order. As the “factory of the world”, China is a beacon of economic growth, a magnet for multinational corporations and a must on business travellers’ itinerary. Beijing is extremely appealing to leisure travellers keen to explore the myriad attractions of the city – who wouldn’t want to climb the Great Wall or visit the Forbidden City of the emperors at least once in their lifetime?”
Passengers travelling to Beijing can begin their gourmet journey with sumptuous cuisine that features both “as-you-like-it” and hot meal menus in all three classes, including classics such as fish terrine, chicken curry, fresh stir-fried lobster and pan-fried lamb in First and Business, and smoked salmon, beef stroganoff, and chilli chicken in Economy, rounded off with delicious desserts, seasonal fruits and chocolates.
Emirates has announced special offers to its passengers travelling to the city, including Malta. Passengers travelling to Beijing in First Class are entitled to two nights’ complimentary stay at the luxurious Shangri-La Hotel in Beijing and Business Class passengers to one night’s complimentary stay at the same hotel. Both deals offer passengers a deluxe room, on a single or double occupancy basis, and are valid from 1 September to 30 November 2006.
Emirates is operating the route with its Airbus A340-300, offering 267 seats in a three-class configuration – 12 in First Class, 42 in Business and 213 in Economy – and 13 tonnes of cargo capacity. Emirates flight EK306 departs Dubai daily at 10.15am and arrives in Beijing at 10pm. EK307 departs Beijing at 00.05am and arrives in Dubai at 05.05am.
Besides unveiling Beijing on its route map, Emirates has added three flights to its very first destination in China – Hong Kong. Emirates will now serve China with a daily service and six dedicated Boeing 747F freighter operations to Shanghai; daily services to Beijing, and 10 Boeing 747F freighter services to Hong Kong in addition to 17 weekly passenger services.
The airline’s second daily to Perth commenced today, providing quick connections and guaranteeing same day travel from Western Australia to several destinations in the Middle East and Europe – a boon to business travellers. Kuala Lumpur is now served nine times a week, and with increased capacity on Flight EK352, which has been upgraded from an A330-200 to a Boeing 777-300ER.
In addition, Emirates has increased its frequency from four to five flights each week from Malta to Dubai via Larnaca, Cyprus as from 2 September.
The airline is operating every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday on A330-200.
Further enquiries about special offers to Beijing may be obtained from Emirates Sales Office at MIA, tel. 25 577 255, or from the
local travel agency