Emirates, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates,  opens upstream check-in services at Pazhou Ferry Terminal in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, for its flights departing from Hong Kong International Airport starting from Saturday, thus providing great convenience for its air passengers in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

The new arrangement allows passengers taking Emirates flights departing from Hong Kong to get their boarding passes and check in their luggage at the ferry terminal before taking a ferry to Hong Kong International Airport beginning June 1, said a statement released by the terminal on Friday.

Emirates becomes the 18th carrier to open UCI services at Pazhou Ferry Terminal for flights departing from Hong Kong, the statement said.

In addition to Emirates, commercial airlines that allow their passengers to obtain boarding passes and check luggage at the ferry terminal include those from China's Hong Kong and Taiwan regions, as well as the United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Thailand and the Netherlands.

Meanwhile, another 40 airlines allow ferry services from Pazhou to Hong Kong's airports, thus a big part in building the terminal area into a world-class trade and digital economy center, it said.

Angela Wu, marketing consultant at Italiana Ferramenta, said allowing passengers to check in at Pazhou Ferry Terminal for flights departing from Hong Kong provides great convenience for passengers from the GBA.

Wu said she is glad that the ferry service to check in at Pazhou to fly from Hong Kong is available.

Previously, many passengers departing from Hong Kong had to take trains or shuttles via Shenzhen in Guangdong to Hong Kong's airport. It took more time, she said.

She also frequently comes to Pazhou, to participate in or visit trade shows.

Located in Guangzhou's bustling Haizhu district where the Canton Fair is held, Pazhou Ferry Terminal on the Pearl River is the only cross-border passenger transport port on the water in the downtown area of the South China metropolis.

The terminal now has two ferry services, one linking Pazhou to Hong Kong International Airport and the other to Tsim Sha Tsui on the Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong. The journeys by water take about 130 minutes and 150 minutes, respectively.

The ferry service has helped accelerate the interconnection and integration of world-class city and airport clusters in the GBA and further promote the convention and exhibition industry in the region.