News
China Eastern adds premium economy and China and Mexico sign collaboration agreement
July 1st 2016
Shanghai-based China Eastern Airlines this week said it would introduce a premium economy class to its long-haul fleet starting with the delivery of its 20 on-order A350s and 15 B787-9s from 2018 through to 2021, in addition to first, business and economy seating. Read More »
China Eastern’s current B777-300ER fleet offers first, business and economy cabins, while its A330s feature business and economy class only.
The SkyTeam carrier will be the last of the “Big Three” to introduce the “in between” product; Air China and China Southern Airlines already feature the subclass.
In further China Eastern news, the airline will add a twice-weekly Qingdao-San Francisco (via Pudong) A330 route from July 7, before upgrading to the B777 beginning August 2.
In other Mainland updates, Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) chief, Wang Zhiqing, has returned from a visit to Mexico where he met with the head of the local Directorate General of Civil Aeronautics.
The two aviation regulators agreed on deeper collaboration and increased services between the two countries.
At the moment, Aeromexico offers a thrice-weekly Shanghai-Tijuana B787 link, the sole route between China and Mexico. Beijing Capital Airlines has applied for thrice-weekly Beijing-Mexico City traffic rights on board A340 aircraft from January. Orient Aviation has previously reported that the HNA Group subsidiary was seeking used A340-500/-600s on the second-hand market.
Passenger numbers between China and Mexico grew 13.8% in 2015, according to CAAC data.
Meanwhile, another HNA offshoot, Tianjin Airlines, this week began a twice-weekly Tianjin-Chongqing-Gatwick A330 route. The new service will be Chongqing’s first nonstop link to the British capital.
In other Mainland news, Guangzhou’s China Southern is scheduled to receive the last of ten on-order B777-300ERs on July 21. The SkyTeam member’s fleet currently comprises 77 widebodies, including 37 A330s, 25 B777s, ten B787s and five A380s.
