New direct flights to link Shanghai and Dubai

China Eastern Airlines will launch direct flights from Chinese eastern metropolis of Shanghai to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from September 17^th, according to the officials of China Eastern Airlines. The Shanghai-based China Eastern Airlines is the first Chinese carrier to operate direct flights between Shanghai and Dubai.

The first direct flight will be operated by an Airbus 330 aircraft. During September 17^th and October 26^th, there will be three direct flights every week. The number of weekly flights will increase to four from October 27^th. The company's current flights from Dubai to Shanghai via Kunming will remain unchanged, said the carrier.

As one of the major air companies in China, China Eastern Airlines was established on June 25^th, 1988 under the Civil Aviation Administration of China Huadong Administration. It is also accelerating the pace of international expansion by increasing flight frequencies to international destinations. Up to now, China Eastern Airlines' network covers 80 percent of Chinese cities, reaching 177 countries and 1,074 destinations worldwide.