Key facts
- Air China's first non-stop flight from Beijing to Brisbane departed on Monday.
- The flight, CA 795, will operate four times weekly.
- Brisbane is Air China's third Australian destination, joining Sydney and Melbourne.
- The new route aims to enhance bilateral trade, business cooperation, and tourism.
- The launch follows a year-old Australia-China open air services agreement.
Air China has inaugurated its first non-stop flight service connecting Beijing with Brisbane, Australia. The inaugural flight, CA 795, departed from Beijing Capital International Airport early Monday morning, with subsequent flights scheduled four times per week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. The journey is expected to take approximately 11 hours, a significant reduction from the previous 12.5-hour travel time that required a transfer. This new route establishes Brisbane as Air China's third destination in Australia, alongside Sydney and Melbourne. Hou Xulun, deputy head of Air China, stated that the route expansion aims to improve connectivity between China and Australia, thereby enhancing bilateral trade, business cooperation, and tourism. The airline currently operates over 40 weekly passenger flights between the two countries. The expansion of direct flights is supported by the Australia-China open air services agreement signed a year prior, according to Australian ambassador to China, Jan Adams. Air China noted a double-digit growth in Chinese tourists visiting Australia, with a total of 2 million trips recorded between the two nations in 2016.