Hainan Eyes Madrid for Latest European Growth

Posted 01/08/2011

Fast-expanding Chinese carrier Hainan Airlines is planning to launch its first flights into Spain with a twice weekly link to Madrid.  According to a preliminary flight schedule the first services from Shanghai Pu Dong could commence as early as September 19 although the schedule has not yet been uploaded into the carrier’s booking system, nor been confirmed by the airline.

The Spanish capital will be served as an extension of Hainan Airlines’ existing Shanghai Pu Dong – Brussels route, with its return flight from Europe being moved four hours later to accommodate the additional sector. 

Air China currently offers the only direct service between Spain and China, a five times weekly flight between Madrid and Beijing.  An estimated 484,000 O&D passengers travelled between the two countries in the past year, with just 5.9 per cent of these flying between Beijing and Madrid on Air China’s direct service.  Around 102,000 O&D passengers are estimated to have flown between Shanghai Pu Dong and Madrid in the last year, all flying via Europe or the Middle East.

Schedule:

HU7907 PVG0030 – 0720BRU0920 – 1120MAD 330 15 19SEP11 -
HU7908 MAD1320 – 1520BRU1720 – 1050+1PVG 330 15 19SEP11 -

Source: Hainan Airlines July 2011 timetable (via Airline Route)

---

With effect from March 19, 2012 the Breaking News coverage on Routesonline is powered by Airline Route.  For more analysis on these stories please read our expanded coverage of the key stories of the day in The HUB. 

You can also keep up to date with the latest network development news by following the live updates from @Routesonline, @TheHUBRoutes, @RouteExchange and @airlineroute on Twitter.  While all the latest news from our events can be seen by searching the #RoutesAfrica, #RoutesAmericas, #RoutesAsia, #RoutesCIS, #RoutesEurope and #WorldRoutes hashtags.

All material is copyright of UBM Aviation Routes but the views expressed are not necessarily the views of UBM Aviation Routes and the company shall therefore not be liable for the contents of any article that appears on the site.  Although the best efforts have been taken in collecting and checking the material we can not and do not warrant that the information contained in this product is complete or accurate and does not assume and hereby disclaims liability to any person for any loss of damage caused by errors or omissions.

PLEASE NOTE: From March 7, 2012 schedule data for all news stories has been extracted from OAG Schedules iNET; All GDS data is based on a live GDS update on the day of publication; Traffic data extracted from IATA BSP system for the year ending December 2011.  All information is subject to change.