Thursday, June 20, 2024 Chinese airlines are making significant strides in expanding their long-haul, intercontinental flight offerings, with a strong focus on the European market. Leading the charge is Shanghai-based Juneyao Air, which will introduce two new direct flights next month, connecting Shanghai with Manchester in the United Kingdom and Brussels in Belgium. These new routes, starting on July 1 and July 3 respectively, highlight the airline’s commitment to enhancing its international operations and global services.
Juneyao Air’s latest expansion follows the successful launch of its direct flight from Shanghai to Athens, Greece, on April 2. According to the airline’s operation plan for the summer-autumn aviation season, Juneyao Air’s European network will now cover six destinations, including Finland, the UK, Belgium, Italy, and Greece, spanning northern, western, and southern Europe. Cheng Xi, the general manager of the commercial department at Juneyao Air, emphasized the significance of these new routes.
“The opening of new intercontinental routes can fully enhance the company’s international operation and global services,” Cheng told ThePaper. Since the launch of the Shanghai-Athens route, the passenger load factor has reached nearly 70 percent during the off-season, indicating strong potential for further growth during the peak summer vacation period. Juneyao Air is not alone in its pursuit of expanding long-haul routes.
Several other Chinese carrier.
