Air China Increases European Service

Credit: Rob Finlayson

Wenzhou, a port and industrial city in China's eastern Zhejiang province, is set to receive a new European connection later this month.

Air China plans to launch flights between Wenzhou Longwan International (WNZ) and Milan Malpensa (MXP) from Nov. 28. Service will be once a week using Airbus A330-300 aircraft, data provided by OAG Schedules Analyser shows.

The carrier currently offers two routes to Italy: connecting Milan with Beijing Capital (PEK) once a week; and providing a 2X-weekly link between Hangzhou (HGH) and Rome Fiumicino.

Beijing-Milan currently operates nonstop on the outbound leg to the Italian city and via Shenyang (SHE) on the return, while Hangzhou-Rome is nonstop both ways and restarted in October having been suspended in February 2020.

Wenzhou has one direct route to Europe at the present time after China Eastern Airlines opened a route to Rome Fiumicino in October. Flights are currently operating once a week onboard A330-200s.

Meanwhile, Milan Malpensa has three routes to mainland China, with Neos Air serving Nanjing (NKG) and Tianjin (TSN) alongside Air China’s Beijing service.

The launch of Wenzhou-Milan comes as Air China has resumed flying between Chongqing (CKG) and Budapest (BUD). Service will be once a week on Fridays using A330-300s on the 7,437-km (4,016-nm) sector.

“As a key hub in Western China, Chongqing is an important economic and strategic destination for us,” Budapest airline development director Balázs Bogáts said.

“Air China’s second route launch of the year more than proves the return of high demand in this growing market and will enable us to support the large Chinese community in Budapest who will now have varied options to visit friends and family.”

Air China resumed its Beijing Capital-Budapest connection in July, operating via Tianjin on the return leg. The airline currently serves 11 destinations in Europe, the majority of which are only once a week because of China’s strict COVID-19 travel restrictions.

David Casey

David Casey is Editor in Chief of Routes, the global route development community's trusted source for news and information.