China fines Emirates after plane flew at wrong height

BEIJING – China’s civil aviation authority says it has fined Dubai-based airline Emirates and barred it from adding new routes in China over the next six months after two of its flights were cited for unsafe operations.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China said in a statement Wednesday that the flights occurred on April 17 and May 18 over the city of Urumqi in China’s western Xinjiang region.

It said in the first instance an Emirates plane flew at the wrong height, and in the second a plane temporarily lost contact with air traffic control.

It has imposed a fine of 29,000 RMB ($4,300) on the Middle East’s largest airline.

Emirates didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.