A new China Eastern service between Shanghai and Brisbane began earlier this week, giving business travellers a new four-times-weekly flight option between the Chinese financial hub and the Queensland capital.
The Chinese carrier has deployed its Airbus A330-200 on the route, which entails an overnight flight from Shanghai Pudong Airport for a 1005 arrival in Brisbane (BNE). The return leg departs the Queensland capital around lunchtime and arrives back in Shanghai at 2000 local time.
Operating on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, the new route is expected to bring some 18,000 additional visitors per year from China to Queensland.
“The Chinese visitor market is currently the second largest for Brisbane airport, experiencing 19 per cent growth in the last financial year,” said Julieanna Alroe, Brisbane Airport Corporation CEO and managing director. “These direct China Eastern flights will help grow this important market which will have flow on benefits for every sector of our economy, from business and investment to tourism, trade and education.”
Alroe added that the service would allow travellers to connect to Brisbane Airport’s domestic network spanning 48 destinations across the country.
“When BNE’s New Parallel Runway becomes operational in just four short years it will deliver Brisbane Airport the most efficient runway system in Australia with similar capacity to Hong Kong and Singapore airports, providing even more opportunity to expand our network connections.”
Earlier this month, Australian carrier Qantas announced it will introduce a new Premium Lounge Entry departure experience for passengers departing Brisbane Domestic Airport. The new service follows the opening of the airline’s new Brisbane International Lounge, which opened to passengers on October 20 this year.
Details for the new route are as follows (all times local):
