Summary

  • Melbourne Airport welcomes China Eastern’s Nanjing route, boosting Chinese traffic to 92% of pre-pandemic levels.
  • Beijing Capital Airlines adds Hangzhou route, further strengthening travel between China and Melbourne.
  • Both airlines’ new services contribute to the recovery of the Chinese market and support Victoria’s economy.

Over the last few years, the team at Melbourne Airport has worked tirelessly to persuade all of the airlines that operated there before the pandemic to return. The key to complete recovery has been the Chinese market, which was heavily delayed by extended border lockdowns in China but is now within touching distance of 2019 levels, thanks to extra services from China Eastern Airlines and Beijing Capital Airlines.

China Eastern adds Nanjing route

At the end of June, Melbourne Airport welcomed China Eastern Airlines (China Eastern) inaugural flight from Nanjing, which connected Victoria to its sister state, Jiangsu Province, for the first time. The service will operate three times weekly from Melbourne on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

China Eastern A330-300 landing

Photo: Markus Mainka | Shutterstock

The inaugural flight, MU851, departed Nanjing Lukou International Airport (NKG) on June 28 at 22:22 and, after a 10:03-hour flight, landed at Melbourne Airport the following morning at 10:24. The service was operated with a 2015 Airbus A330-200, registration B-8226 and MSN 1655 that left Melbourne at 12:37 and arrived in Nanjing at 21:22.

Before China Eastern launched this nonstop service, Nanjing was one of the largest unserved markets in China at Melbourne Airport, with more than 60,000 passengers traveling between the two cities every year. This additional capacity returns the Chinese traffic at Melbourne Airport to 92% of pre-pandemic levels.

Related

Melbourne Airport Adds WeChat As Chinese Carriers Increase Year Of The Dragon Flights

Melbourne Airport has worked tirelessly to rebuild its international network, and the return of major Chinese carriers is really paying off.

China Eastern is now operating 13 flights weekly from Melbourne, three more than before the arrival of COVID-19. Melbourne Airport Chief of Aviation Jim Parashos said that growth is made possible by the open skies agreement between China and Australia, “which gives airlines certainty to expand existing footprints across the nation.”

“The Chinese market has been slow to recover, but we are seeing green shoots, and that’s thanks to the great support of airlines such as China Eastern, which have invested in Melbourne. This first direct connection to Nanjing opens up a new market for tourism and export growth, with China being Victoria’s largest two-way trading partner.”

Related

China Eastern Enters Its 4th COMAC C919 Into Service

The aircraft arrived less than a month after the third C919 and just over a year since the first model was delivered.

China is a critical market for Melbourne Airport and the state, with a daily international flight from China to Melbourne bringing in more than AU$150 million ($100m) for the Victorian economy. The return of China’s major airlines has significantly boosted international passenger numbers at Melbourne Airport, with more to follow during the balance of 2024.

Beijing Capital Airlines arrives

Melbourne Airport also welcomed a new service from China when Beijing Capital Airlines (Capital Airlines) opened a route from Huangzhou on June 16, 2024. The airport proclaimed that the tea capital of China was now connected to the coffee capital of Australia, backed up by the fact that the airline hosted a welcoming function at Melbourne’s Yugen Tea Bar.

Melbourne Airport Beijing Capital Inaugural

Photo: Melbourne Airport

The inaugural Capital Airlines flight JD385 departed Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport at 16:05 and, after a flight of 10:16 hours, arrived at Melbourne Airport at 04:21 the following morning. The route was flown with a 2018 Airbus A330-200, registration B-1043 and MSN 1847.

Beijing capital Hangzhou - Melbourne Inaugural

The Airbus A330 departed Melbourne at 07:18 and arrived in Hangzhou at 15:23, with a two-day break before its next flight to Portugal’s Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) and return. The new route to Melbourne will operate three times weekly and has added to the strong rebound in travel between China and Melbourne Airport.

According to ch-aviation, Capital Airlines has an all-Airbus fleet of 82 aircraft with an average age of 10.5 years. The fleet includes 10 Airbus A319-100s, 32 A320-200s, seven A320neos, 18 A321-200s, three A321neos, five A330-200s, five A330-300s, and two A330(P2F) freighter conversions.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *