Air China will be making its return to Zurich this summer, more than 17 years after it last operated flights to the Swiss city.
Business Traveller was alerted to the news by industry website airlineroute.net and confirmed the service appears on the airline’s timetable – though it should be noted the website’s scheduling differs from that of the airline’s own.
Starting June 7, the airline’s Beijing-Zurich flights will resume on a four-times-weekly schedule flying on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, according to Air China’s timetable.
The flights will be operated by an Airbus A330-200, which the carrier configures in a two-class layout with 30 business and 207 economy class seats.
Air China’s new route follows the signing of a long-awaited joint venture with Lufthansa back in September, which would see the two airlines coordinate flights and schedules between China and Europe, and is expected to take effect this summer. Lufthansa is the parent company of Zurich-based airline Swiss.
Earlier this year, Air China began offering a “Fully Entrusted-No Baggage Claim” service for flights departing Europe and the Americas and flying to Chinese cities via Beijing. The service allows passengers to authorise Air China personnel to open their checked baggage for customs and quarantine checks at Beijing Capital Airport, enabling passengers to directly clear immigration without the need to collect their checked baggage.
Details of the Beijing (PEK)-Zurich (ZRH) service are as follows (all times local):
| Flight No. | From | To | Departs | Arrives | Days |
| CA781 | PEK | ZRH | 0235 | 0725 | Tue, Wed, Fri |
| 0305 | 0755 | Sun | |||
| CA782 | ZRH | PEK | 1330 | 0520+1 | Tue, Wed, Fri, Sun |
