Latest news with #ChinaEastern
The National
16-07-2025
- Business
- The National
Etihad Airways revises growth target up to 38 million passengers by 2030
Etihad Airways is revising its growth targets upwards to carry 38 million passengers by 2030, from a previous goal of 33 million, as it seeks to bring more point-to-point traffic to the UAE capital. The Abu Dhabi-based airline aims to expand 15 per cent every year until the end of the decade as it carries more passengers, adds 20 planes annually and reaps benefits from joint venture partnerships with Ethiopian Airlines and China Eastern, Antonoaldo Neves, Etihad's chief executive, told The National. The revised growth plans prompted the airline to place an order in May for 28 Boeing wide-body aircraft, a mix of 787s and 777Xs, during US President Donald Trump's visit to Abu Dhabi. " The plan that we have today is for 38 million Boeing order that we put is to get to that objective," Mr Neves said. "The strategy to bring more people into Abu Dhabi, to improve customer service and to provide people with more choice on the network is working very well. We're confident," he said, citing the 7.5 per cent surge in Abu Dhabi's population to more than four million last year. Etihad had outlined plans for its so-called Journey 2030, a seven-year growth agenda announced in November 2023 when it marked its 20th anniversary. The strategy calls for doubling its fleet to 170 planes and tripling the number of passengers it carries annually to 33 million as it expands its global route network. In 2024, the airline carried 18.5 million passengers. Sustainable growth This year, Etihad will take delivery of 22 planes and has announced a flurry of new destinations. It launched inaugural flights to four new destinations this year – Prague, Warsaw, Sochi and Atlanta – and is set to add another 13 routes before the year closes. On Tuesday, it announced an additional seven new destinations with a focus on the Caucasus and Central Asia. Asked if the rapid rate of network expansion was sustainable, Mr Neves said he was "confident" that this level of growth is manageable. "There's not a single week that I don't think about growth and safety and financial profitability," the airline boss said. "These are the three things that are always on my mind." Etihad Airways is "bigger and stronger" than ever before, hitting this week the mark of 20 million passengers flown in a 12-month period for the first time in its history, he added. The airline chief is "happy" with the company's second-quarter financial results, which are yet to be announced, while prospects for the second half of the year "are good". This comes despite airspace closures around the Middle East because of the geopolitical conflict that have created operational challenges for airlines serving the region. "We've been able to manage the geopolitical situation that we had very well, so we're confident in terms of the results for this year," Mr Neves said. The airline's profit margins and customer service levels are improving, while its safety standards are at an "all-time high," he said. "We're going to keep up the growth that we have for the next five something that we can swallow and it gets easier as we grow," he said. "We've been over-delivering on the growth [targets] every single year." Etihad Airways, for example, had previously set a target of 18 million passengers by 2027, which it has reached at the end of 2024, he said. While the airline has announced a flurry of new routes, it is using about two-thirds of its additional capacity to increase the number of flights on existing routes, he said. Etihad Airways on Tuesday said it is introducing flights to Almaty, Baku, Bucharest, Madinah, Tbilisi, Tashkent and Yerevan. The announcement came a day after low-cost carrier Wizz Air said it will exit its operations in Abu Dhabi, citing several operational challenges. Routes it was serving included Almaty, Baku, Bucharest, Tashkent, Madinah and Yerevan.
Morocco World
01-07-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
ONMT, China Eastern Airlines Sign Agreement to Boost Morocco's Appeal in Chinese Market
Rabat – The Moroccan National Tourist Office (ONMT) and the airline China Eastern Airlines signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday in Rabat, confirming the growing strategic importance of the Asian market in Morocco. Minister of Tourism Fatim Zahra Ammor, ONMT Director General Achraf Fayda and China Eastern Airlines President Wang Zhinqing chaired the signing ceremony. The partnership includes a marketing strategy as well as joining actions, press trips, and seeking to boost Morocco's appeal as a premier tourist destination in the Chinese market. The agreement also aims to optimize air connections to Morocco. The Minister of Tourism emphasized the importance of the partnership, stressing the country's ambition to position itself as an exceptional destination for travelers from across the world. 'With China Eastern, we are strengthening our presence in Asia and reaffirming our diversification strategy,' Ammor said. Fayda also highlighted the importance of the agreement, noting that the cooperation is based on a long-term, ambitious vision for tourism development. ONMT aims to attract at least one million Chinese tourists by 2030. 'His partnership with China Eastern reflects our ability to forge strategic alliances with major players in global air transport,' Fayda added, noting ONMT's commitment to opening Morocco to the most dynamic and demanding markets. The signing of the partnership follows China Eastern's launch of the Shanghai-Casablanca air route via Marseille in January 2025. In October, a direct route will also be launched with a frequency of three flights per week. With this new air route, Casablanca will be connected to China's main outbound tourism hub, in addition to the direct Beijing-Casablanca line operated by Royal Air Maroc. Tags: Business TourismChina
Daily Mail
14-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Shocking moment plane passenger opens emergency exit door because he 'wanted to get some fresh air'
A China Eastern Airline flight turned chaotic upon landing when a passenger suddenly opened an emergency exit - claiming he wanted 'to get some fresh air.' Footage shows the aftermath of the random act, which saw a male passenger yank the emergency handle before deploying the evacuation slide on flight MU5828, which was still taxiing on the runway as it arrived in Kunming from Changsha on 11 May. According to witnesses, the man appeared calm, but had told others he opened the door to get a breath of fresh air. But his bizarre actions reportedly caused chaos in the cabin, and passengers were prevented from disembarking the plan for around 20 minutes as crew members dealt with the situation. Though no one was hurt, the suspect, described as a young male, was escorted off the plane by police for further questioning, as reported by NeedToKnow. The flight took off from Changsha, China, and arrived at Kunming Changshui International Airport at around 8.42am on 11 May. In China, opening an emergency door on a plane can come with a steep fine - anywhere from £10,482 to over £20,000, depending on the aircraft and circumstances. In March 2022, a China eastern Airlines flight was involved in the third-deadliest aviation accident in the country's history. The domestic flight took off from Kunming Changshui International Airport bound for Guangzhou, but crashed on route, killing all 132 passengers and crew onboard. But this week's emergency door drama isn't the only bizarre incident to have occurred in the skies lately. Earlier this year, a United flight bound for Shanghai was diverted back to California three hours into the trip because the pilot forgot their passport. In March, UA Flight 198 left Los Angeles International Airport at 1:44 pm PDT and was scheduled to land at Shanghai Pudong International about 14 hours later until the pilot discovered his disastrous mistake. The flight was then diverted back to California and landed in San Francisco just after 5 pm, per flight logs tracked on Flight Aware. Passengers on the Boeing aircraft 787-9 then finally took off for Shanghai around 9 pm and arrived just after 12:30am local time. United arranged for a new crew to take the 257 passengers to Shanghai and provided them with meal vouchers and compensation for the inconvenience, the media representative said. The flight eventually landed at its destination six hours behind schedule, which impacted some of the passengers' plans. One passenger, who was flying for business, told CNN, that they had to reschedule their plans for Monday after the significant delay. A second traveler said they had to drive another two hours after landing in Shanghai, leaving them exhausted. Yang Shuhan, another traveler on the flight, said that the pilot announced his embarrassing mistake over the intercom and sounded 'very frustrated'. Yang told CNN that she received two meal vouchers totaling $30 to use for a meal at the San Francisco airport.
NZ Herald
11-05-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
Mayor Wayne Brown's Manifesto for Auckland: Bed tax, reciprocal China visa, population plan
'That means ensuring population doesn't get ahead of council planning and investment. Auckland knows best what we can and can't do,' he said. He said the council was already working with the Government to enable more homes to be built, but the key focus was to develop tools to fund infrastructure. He said restructuring council-controlled organisations and integrating land use regulation with transport and infrastructure planning would mean the council could 'prioritise investment'. 'Now we need the Government to urgently get on with the legislative changes needed to give Auckland Council control of regional transport planning.' 'Mature enough to have a conversation': Immigration, population growth plan Brown wanted the Government to develop an immigration and population growth plan for the city in consultation with residents. 'I believe Aucklanders are mature enough to have a conversation about population growth and the trade-offs that come with having a bigger city,' he said. On tourism, Brown said Auckland was the gateway to New Zealand and 'the obvious place to host major events that will attract more international visitors'. Getting the most out of Auckland's visitor economy would be helped by a visitor bed night levy, a bed tax, Brown said. 'I strongly urge the Government to reconsider a bed night levy, especially given it's what Aucklanders want,' he said, referencing recent consultation feedback showing 60% of respondents supported the tax. 'A reciprocal visa policy with China would also help' get the most out of the tourism sector, he said. Brown pointed out the current transit visa Chinese nationals needed to pass through Auckland was a significant hurdle preventing the 'southern link' between Southeast Asia and Brazil. 'The issue needs to be resolved so airlines like China Eastern can provide this service linking those two huge economies together via Auckland, which will provide a huge jolt to our economy.' On innovation, Brown spoke of getting 'the incentives right so that more private investment flows in'.
Tourism Breaking News
07-05-2025
- Business
- Tourism Breaking News
Etihad and China Eastern Airlines officially launched their joint venture
Post Views: 63 Etihad Airways and China Eastern Airlines have officially launched their landmark Joint Venture (JV). The Etihad Airways – China Eastern Airlines JV, initially announced in June 2024, now becomes operational, offering seamless connectivity and a stronger combined network. This JV signifies the long-standing ties between the UAE and China by offering expanded travel options and seamless travel experiences for passengers travelling between major Chinese cities like Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Xi'an, and Kunming, and key cities in the UAE and across the Middle East and Africa regions. The launch follows the successful arrival of China Eastern's inaugural MU237 flight from Shanghai to Abu Dhabi last week, which was celebrated with a welcome ceremony at Zayed International Airport. The service starts with four weekly frequencies and will increase to a daily frequency starting 12 September 2025, further boosting connectivity between the UAE and China. Building upon the launch of the Joint Venture, the two airlines have also signed a new agreement between their respective loyalty programmes at the Arabian Travel Market on 29 April. Starting 1 June 2025, members of Etihad Guest and Eastern Miles programmes can earn and redeem miles across both airlines' global networks — unlocking greater value and seamless travel experiences for loyalty members. Arik De, Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer of Etihad Airways, said: 'The official launch of our Joint Venture with China Eastern is a major leap forward—not just for our two airlines, but for the future of both the UAE and China. By combining our networks and aligning our loyalty programmes, we're not only expanding choice and connectivity for our guests, but also setting the foundation for a new era of cooperation, innovation, and shared success across our markets.' Wan Qingchao, Executive Vice President of China Eastern, stated: 'The launch of the Shanghai-Abu Dhabi route and the implementation of the joint business cooperation with Etihad Airways are key achievements in advancing our shared vision under the Belt and Road Initiative. Backed by a modern Zayed International Airport, we will further enhance our transit capabilities and improve travel convenience for passengers.' The partnership is the first Joint Venture between a Middle Eastern airline and a Chinese airline, setting a precedent for future bilateral aviation agreements. Both airlines will continue to align in areas including codeshare flights, joint marketing initiatives, and customer experience enhancements. The new China Eastern flight currently operates four times weekly (Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays), with a one-way flight duration of approximately 9 hours and 20 minutes. The A330 aircraft is equipped with high-speed inflight Wi-Fi, enabling passengers to stay connected throughout the journey.
