Emirates reschedules China flights as Typhoon Dolphin disrupts eastern region

Emirates reschedules China flights as Typhoon Dolphin disrupts eastern region

Emirates has announced flight delays to and from Shanghai and Hangzhou as Typhoon Dolphin caused severe disruptions across eastern China, prompting authorities to evacuate more than one million people and cancel nearly 1,400 flights at Shanghai's airports alone.

The Dubai-based carrier said several services between Dubai and the two Chinese cities have been rescheduled due to adverse weather conditions expected to affect operations on August 9.

Strongest typhoon of 2026 hits China

Typhoon Dolphin made landfall near Yuhuan in Zhejiang Province at approximately 5:30 pm local time on August 9, recording maximum sustained winds of 151 km/h. The storm proved to be the most powerful tropical cyclone to strike China this year, having travelled approximately 6,000 km before reaching the mainland — a journey that gave it a lifespan more than three times that of an average typhoon and created an unusually large cloud system that enveloped eastern China.

China's National Meteorological Centre issued a red alert, the highest level in the country's typhoon warning system, forecasting extraordinary torrential rain with some areas expected to receive 250-500mm of rainfall.

Mass evacuations and flight cancellations

Authorities evacuated more than 900,000 residents from Wenzhou, 390,000 from Taizhou, and at least 30,300 from Shanghai as the typhoon approached. Shanghai's Pudong and Hongqiao airports cancelled approximately 60 percent of Sunday's expected flights, grounding nearly 1,400 services. Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport also experienced widespread disruptions, with 270 inbound and outbound flights cancelled over August 8-9.

Emirates flight changes

For Shanghai services, flight EK302 from Dubai, originally scheduled for August 8, will now depart Dubai at 10:50 pm local time on August 9 and arrive in Shanghai at 11:30 am on August 10. Flight EK304 scheduled for August 9 will operate as EK8304 on August 10, departing Dubai at 1:20 am and arriving in Shanghai at 2:00 pm.

The return services have also been rescheduled. Flight EK303 from Shanghai to Dubai, originally scheduled for August 9, will depart Shanghai at 1:20 pm on August 10. Flight EK305 will depart Shanghai at 3:45 pm on August 10, arriving in Dubai at 8:25 pm.

For Hangzhou services, flight EK310 will depart Dubai at 6:25 pm on August 9 and arrive in Hangzhou at 6:55 am on August 10. Flight EK311, scheduled for August 10, will depart Hangzhou at 9:40 am and arrive in Dubai at 2:00 pm.

Emirates launched its Dubai-Hangzhou route on July 30, 2025, making Hangzhou its fifth gateway in mainland China. The airline currently operates 49 weekly flights to mainland China, including double daily services to Beijing and Shanghai, and daily flights to Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Hangzhou.

Passenger guidance

Emirates asked passengers to regularly check their flight status as further delays remain possible depending on weather conditions. Customers connecting through Dubai who are affected by the delays have been advised to contact their travel agents or Emirates if they booked directly with the airline.

The airline also urged passengers to ensure their contact details are updated through the Manage Your Booking service to receive travel notifications.

Regional typhoon activity

Typhoon Dolphin represents the third major storm to strike the region in recent weeks. The typhoon came two weeks after Typhoon Noul hit southern Guangdong province in July 2026, and one month after Typhoon Bavi made landfall in Zhejiang, causing the evacuation of 1.7 million people. Before reaching China, Dolphin swept through Japan's Okinawa prefecture, injuring six to seven people and cutting power to more than 50,000 buildings.