Hainan Airlines this week filed an operational schedule for its new European service from Shenzhen, with a Shenzhen–Brussels nonstop flight on board Boeing 787 aircraft. Brussels Airport has confirmed the launch of the route.
The first flight is scheduled on 20 March 2018, operating twice a week.
From 20 to 24 March:
HU759 SZX1200 – 1730BRU 789 24
HU760 BRU1930 – 1350+1SZX 789 24
From 25 March:
HU759 SZX1200 – 1830BRU 788 24
HU760 BRU2030 – 1350+1SZX 788 24
For the week of 20 March 2018, service is operated by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, switching to 787-8 from 25 March 2018.
This new route appears to be the Hainan answer to the Brussels-Hong Kong route announced by Cathay Pacific for the Summer 2018 season. Shenzhen indeed is not far from Hong Kong.
From Brussels Airport, Hainan already operates flights to Beijing and to Shanghai. Shenzhen thus becomes its third destination in China from the European capital.
Source: Airlineroute, Brussels Airport
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The official press release of Brussels Airport
Hainan Airlines connects Brussels Airport to the major Chinese city of Shenzhen
From 20 March, Brussels Airport will have a direct connection to Shenzhen Boa’an International Airport. The Chinese airline Hainan Airlines is launching a third direct connection from Brussels Airport to China, in addition to its flights to Beijing and Shanghai Pudong. The Brussels-Shenzhen route will, from its introduction, be operated with a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, one of the most modern aircraft in today’s fleet.
“We are very pleased to add, together with Hainan Airlines, a third direct connection with China to our network. Shenzhen is located in the Pearl River Delta, a region with a population of around 62 million. The expansion of the network to one of the largest growing regions in the world offers the Belgian economy and business community new, directly accessible business possibilities and markets. Shenzhen itself is also enjoying a strong economic growth”, says CEO Arnaud Feist of Brussels Airport Company.
Hainan Airlines has been a permanent face at Brussels Airport for more than 10 years. In 2006, the airline started a direct connection to Beijing and in October last year, Hainan Airlines added a direct flight from Brussels Airport to Shanghai. China is an enormous growth market in the world, and the direct connections will further increase and facilitate the investment and export possibilities between both countries.
Shenzhen Boa’an International Airport is working on a strong international and intercontinental expansion. Until the beginning of 2017, the airport was largely focused on internal, regional traffic. The airport, however, has the capacity and the potential for attracting travellers from (far) beyond the borders. Last year, the airport started a rapid expansion of the number of international and intercontinental routes; the Brussels Airport-Shenzhen Boa’an connection is one of the first routes to the European continent.
Shenzhen is one of the fastest growing cities in the world, with currently around 11.4 million inhabitants. Nearly 23 million people live in the whole Shenzhen city prefecture. The growth in the population is, not surprisingly, also reflected in a strong economic growth. The region is sometimes referred to as the “Silicon Valley of China” and has extensive port facilities, production units and financial institutions.
Shenzhen is located in the province of Guangdong in the south of China and borders on Hongkong. Cathay Pacific already operates a flight to Hongkong from Brussels Airport four times a week, and the new direct connection between Brussels Airport and Shenzhen is the second connection with this region.
