UAE airline Emirates seeks to wow Hong Kong with premium travel offerings
The airline also stressed its pledge to promote the tourism offerings in Hong Kong and the Middle East as part of its commitment to strengthening mutual collaboration amid the city's aggressive push to attract investment from the region, as the number of visitors travelling between the two places continued to grow.
In an interview with the Post last week, Sultan Alriyami, the airline's area manager for Hong Kong and Macau, said the roll-out of two refurbished aircraft, a Boeing 777 from July 1 and an Airbus A380 from October 1, would support a twice-a-day service between the city and Dubai as demand was strong among local fliers for the airline's premium classes.
The refreshed cabins come in four classes – first, business, premium economy and economy. The move is part of the airline's US$5 billion retrofit programme, the largest in aviation history and involving 110 Airbus A380s and 109 Boeing 777s.
'We have noticed that there is a good demand overall for our premium classes. And for Hong Kong markets, we have always witnessed a strong demand in the business and first class,' he said.
'Adding in the premium economy will definitely enhance the experience of our customers … We have recently announced this product in Hong Kong, and we've already noticed growth happening in our premium class cabins.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
6 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
CATL posts 34% profit growth, defying weak global EV demand and geopolitical uncertainties
The company's net profit rose 34 per cent year on year to 16.5 billion yuan (US$2.3 billion) in the three months to June, beating market estimates. That was up from a 32.9 per cent increase in the March quarter. Second-quarter revenue grew 8.3 per cent to 94.2 billion yuan, following a 6.2 per cent gain in the previous quarter, according to a Hong Kong stock exchange filing on Wednesday. CATL's battery materials and recycling business showed a 26.42 per cent increase in gross margin, more than triple the number a year ago, according to the filing. This increase contributed to a 1.57 percentage point rise in the overall gross profit margin. The strong results go against weak global demand for EVs and declining battery prices, as economic and geopolitical uncertainties saw consumers become hesitant to make significant purchases. A fierce domestic price war also continues to rage in mainland China, the world's largest EV market. Still, CATL's gross profit margin in its core power battery business fell 22.41 per cent in the first half, down from 23.48 per cent a year earlier.
South China Morning Post
8 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Thailand delays tourist entry fee amid sharp fall in arrivals
One of the world's most popular holiday destinations has postponed the introduction of a new tourism levy after a surprise drop of nearly 6 per cent in visitor numbers during the first half of this year. Advertisement Laos , Thailand had planned to charge 300 baht (US$9.20) for air arrivals and half that for those getting off boats or coming overland from Myanmar Cambodia or Malaysia after agreeing to measures in 2023 in response to growing disquiet about so-called overtourism. 'We must wait to assess international tourist demand during the coming high season in the fourth quarter this year,' said Chakrapol Tangsutthitham, the assistant tourism minister. Some observers speculated that hype around The White Lotus, a TV drama about affluent guests cavorting at a fictional hotel chain, would drive interest in visiting Thailand, the setting for the latest third series and host to around 35 million tourists last year. Charlotte Le Bon, Aimee Lou Wood and Patrick Schwarzenegger in the White Lotus. Photo: HBO Max And while analysts at the Bank of Thailand believe that international arrivals will increase to more than 3 per cent in 2026, any such revival would likely still lag behind the 5 per cent projected expansion across other countries in the region. Advertisement
South China Morning Post
9 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Hang Lung earnings drop 14% as developer flags risks from tariff war, interest rates
Hong Kong developer Hang Lung Properties expects the city's retail sector to remain sluggish this year amid a prolonged industry slump, while an unresolved tariff war with the US keeps businesses and consumers in mainland China is limbo. 'The recent trade disputes and escalating restrictions between the US and China have created uncertainties in the global economy,' chairman Adriel Chan said in a statement after reporting weak first-half results on Wednesday. This could stall interest-rate cuts, which could be detrimental to consumer spending and business expansion, he added. The commercial landlord, residential developer and hotel owner said earnings fell 14 per cent year on year to HK$912 million (US$116.2 million) in the six months to June 30, while revenue declined 19 per cent to HK$4.97 billion. It trimmed total borrowings by 4.5 per cent to HK$54.8 billion from the end of last year. Hang Lung owns shopping malls including The Peak Galleria on The Peak, Hong Kong's most exclusive residential enclave, and Fashion Walk in Causeway Bay. Its major assets in mainland China, which include Grand Gateway 66 and Plaza 66 in Shanghai, contribute about two-thirds of the group revenue. CEO Weber Lo says Hang Lung will focus on retaining tenants and occupancy rates. Photo: Edmond So Hang Lung faced a blowback in consumer spending on both sides of the border in the first half. Retail sales in Hong Kong shrank for 14 straight months before rebounding in May. China's real estate sector also struggled as households boosted savings despite various policies to spur spending amid concerns about the economy's outlook.
