Emirates eyes return to pre-Covid-19 flight frequency in Hong Kong as aviation recovery gains momentum, area manager says

Emirates, the biggest carrier in the Middle East, is banking on a swift recovery in the aviation industry as Covid-19 travel restrictions are dismantled, with an eye on restoring its daily flight frequency from Hong Kong. The Dubai-based carrier currently operates one daily flight from the city after cutting down from four during the pandemic, according to Nasser Bahlooq, its newly-appointed area manager in Hong Kong. Recent efforts to strengthen the city’s ties with the Middle East are expected to rejuvenate business and tourism-related flows, he said.<br/>“I believe that Emirates will fly four times daily by next year,” he said in an interview. “I would like to cope with demand as soon as possible. You could expect Emirates Airlines to have four flights” if demand accelerates in early 2024, he added. China’s decision to scrap its zero-Covid policy has been pivotal in reviving the industry as the Hong Kong government abandoned costly testing and quarantine requirements. The city’s airport handled 28 times more passengers in January than a year earlier as the city fully reopened its borders. Hong Kong used to be the single biggest revenue contributor in the Far East for Emirates, commanding about 30% of its operations in the region. This was partially because of a large number of mainland Chinese travellers using Hong Kong as the regional aviation hub. Hong Kong contributes 10% to its global cargo business, Bahlooq added. A full recovery of Hong Kong’s aviation industry is only likely to take place next year, he added, amid campaigns to restore the city’s status as a regional financial and aviation hub. Until its removal, China’s strict Covid-19 curbs had impinged on the city’s role, causing an exodus of expats and capital.<br/>