Sheikh Ahmed Heads Top Level Emirates Delegation To Shanghai

More than 100 guests attended a VIP reception in Shanghai, China marking the successful launch of twice-weekly non-stop cargo services to and from Dubai by Emirates, the award-winning international airline.

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Emirates Group Chairman, announced that so much freight is now moving between Shanghai and Dubai that Emirates may soon add a third freighter frequency, as well as launching passenger flights in August.

Sheikh Ahmed attended the reception with His Excellency Juma Rashed Jassim, UAE Ambassador in Beijing, Ram Menen, Director Cargo Emirates, Ghaith Al Ghaith, Emirates’ Commercial Operations Director, and Emirates’ Prakash Nair, Cargo Marketing Manager, and Michael Qu, Cargo Manager Shanghai.

Xia Xing Hua, Director General of the East China Regional Administration of CAAC, the Civil Aviation Administration of China, shared views with Sheikh Ahmed on boosting civil aviation on the route and said that Emirates had chosen an ideal time to launch it.

Sheikh Ahmed told guests that cargo brings Emirates 17.5 per cent of its revenue, and highlighted Dubai’s many opportunities for Chinese exporters. The airline had already launched a second weekly freighter on 2nd November to meet demand.

Mr Xia stressed that Shanghai is the region’s most prosperous city and China’s leading industrial and commercial centre. The new flights would boost air cargo and promote economic and cultural ties between the two countries, he said.

He pledged that CAAC’s East China administration would continue to provide top-class service to Emirates and airlines serving Shanghai thanks to its favourable aviation policy.

Fast-growing Emirates plans to launch passenger flights between Shanghai and Dubai in August. It already serves 64 cities in 45 countries with a fleet of 44 modern jets, winning more than 200 awards for service.