China Eastern Airlines launched its first non-stop flights between Vancouver and Nanjing, China on December 20.
The thrice weekly service is set to be year round and is the first airline connection between the two cities.
“China Eastern Airlines has been operating from Vancouver to China for the past 12 years,” said Xiangying Rong, who is general manager of China Eastern Airlines’ Vancouver operations.
“Vancouver to Nanjing is our third direct flight from Western Canada to China. This provides passengers with more options when flying with China Eastern to China and beyond.”
Located in the Yangtze River Delta, Nanjing is recognized as one of China’s four ancient capitals, with a 1,000-year history that produced a diverse array of historical monuments. It’s also home to one of the world’s largest inland ports and is a key economic hub, known for its service industries, investment opportunities and high-ranking universities.
Business travel will be key to making the route a success.
The new flights will operate using an Airbus A330-200 on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, arriving at Vancouver International Airport at 8:30 a.m. and leaving at 10:30am.
In 2004, China Eastern Airlines launched daily flights between Vancouver and Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG). In July 2013, China Eastern increased that service to twice daily. It then launched new direct service between Vancouver and Kunming in 2015.
China Eastern Airlines’ network includes 128 connections in China.
