Both Hainan Airlines and Juneyao Air will start intercontinental flights between Shanghai Pudong, China, and Brussels Airport in Belgium, the airlines communicated on their respective social media platforms. First, Hainan Airlines decided to restart operating four weekly flights after a five-year hiatus as of June 18th. While Juneyao Air is set to launch its Shanghai – Brussels service from July 1st, three times per week.
The Shanghai – Brussels connection, previously operated by Hainan Airlines with three weekly flights, ceased in 2019 due to the pandemic and has not resumed since.
Earlier this year, Belgian officials, led by Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib, visited China and discussed the re-establishment of this link during meetings with Shanghai and Suzhou authorities. The renewed connection aims to strengthen economic ties between Belgium and China, specifically facilitating tourism and business relations. This move aligns with China’s efforts to attract foreign investors.
Hainan Airlines had already resumed flights between Beijing and Brussels in March after China lifted strict COVID-19 measures.
Juneyao Air will launch two new intercontinental services from Shanghai to Manchester, United Kingdom and Brussels from July. The Shanghai – Brussels service will start from July 1st on every Monday, Friday and Sunday, while the Shanghai – Manchester route, being the first direct service connecting Shanghai and Manchester, will start from July 3rd on every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.