Air China, China’s flag carrier airline, has restarted its direct US flights between Washington DC and Beijing after almost four years.
An Air China flight departed from Beijing to Washington on Tuesday, marking the first direct flight from China to the US by a Chinese airline since increased flights began on November 9.
Following the China-US leaders’ summit, where the two largest economies agreed, scheduled passenger flights will further increase early next year.
Flight CA817 took off from Beijing Capital International Airport at 12:35 am, becoming the first direct flight under the new incremental round. Notably, United Airlines’ flight UA889 also departed from the same airport on November 13, marking the beginning of these direct flights.
During the current winter/spring season starting November 9, direct flights between China and the US are expected to increase to 70 a week from the previous 48, with round-trips rising to 35 from 24. This expansion involves various Chinese carriers, such as Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, and Sichuan Airlines, updating their direct flight schedules.
Observers anticipate that these additional flights will enhance people-to-people interactions and cross-border business, contributing positively to improved bilateral relations and tourism.
