Starting from Sunday, Air China, one of China's largest airline companies and the national flag carrier, will launch two new routes and resume two routes, taking the network back to six continents.

The carrier also said that its European routes' capacity stands at more than 110 percent of the 2019 levels, and it will continue to improve its international route network.

The Beijing-Madrid-São Paulo route, which will resume service on Sunday, is the first route for a domestic airline to reach Brazil in South America, one of the longest routes in the world spanning three continents. 

The resumption of the route will better meet the needs of passengers, strengthen connectivity between China and South America, and help Chinese companies expand their South American markets, Air China said, as this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Brazil and China.

 The Beijing-Madrid-Havana route, which will resume on May 17, will be the only route between China and Cuba, and the resumption of flights will further promote exchanges and cooperation between China and Cuba in fields such as the economy, trade, culture and tourism.

On May 6,a new route, from Beijing to Riyadh, will be launched to provide smooth travel between China and the Middle East. 

The Beijing-Dhaka route, which will start in June, will create a more convenient air bridge between China and Bangladesh.

Air China said that it will continue to improve its international network. 

The capacity of international and regional routes during the 2024 summer and autumn season, which began on March 30, has recovered to 84 percent of 2019 levels, and the European routes' capacity level now exceeds 110 percent of the 2019 level. 

With the opening and resumption of the four routes, Air China will operate a total of 452 domestic, international and regional routes, including 112 international and regional routes. The route network covers 64 cities in 43 countries and regions.

According to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), the new season, which began on March 30 and runs through October 26, will see more than 12,600 weekly international passenger flights operated by 122 Chinese and international airlines, covering 66 countries and regions.

The CAAC predicted that the international passenger transport market will accelerate its recovery this year, and it is expected that the number of flights per week will reach about 6,000 by the end of 2024, returning to about 80 percent of pre-epidemic levels.


Global Times