Emirates and Air China have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a strategic framework for expanding their existing reciprocal interline cooperation.
The MoU was signed by Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer and Yan Fei, Air China’s Senior Vice President, Chief Commercial Officer, on the sidelines of the 81st Annual General Meeting (IATA AGM) and World Air Transport Summit (WATS) in New Delhi.
Under the MoU, Emirates and Air China will explore a reciprocal codeshare on select routes across each other’s networks. This would allow each airline to place its code on the other’s flights on China-UAE trunk routes as well as beyond Beijing and Dubai to an expanded list of points.
Adnan Kazim Deputy President & Chief Commercial Officer – Emirates
“Our 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. 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. Shenzhen will feature our best-in-class products, including our brand-new Premium Economy cabin.”
“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,” Kazim added.
Yan Fei said that, “Air China highly values the cooperation with Emirates. The signing of this memorandum is an important milestone for the deepening of the cooperation between the two sides. Air China continues to implement the ‘Belt and Road Initiative’. By collaborating with Emirates, we will further expand our route network in China-UAE and the global market and jointly promote global connectivity.”
Emirates and Air China will also develop a framework for cooperation across cargo operations and respective frequent flyer loyalty programs, enhancing their value proposition for both travelers and businesses.
To further ensure seamless connectivity for customers, the two carriers will explore coordinating flight schedules or 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.
Beyond commercial cooperation, both carriers plan to exchange best practices in areas such as revenue management, data analytics, digitalization, brand management and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), among others, through joint knowledge sharing and familiarization visits.
From 30 July, Emirates will operate 49 weekly flights to the Chinese mainland, including double daily services to Beijing and Shanghai as well as daily flights to Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hangzhou.
