Air China to Launch Delayed Chengdu – Tokyo Narita Route

Air China will this week inaugurate flights between Chengdu and Tokyo Narita, almost three months later than originally planned. The airline will offer a twice weekly service from June 16, increasing to three rotations per week from July 5. It was originally due to launch the route in March but cancelled the inauguration earlier the same month following the tragic earthquake and tsunami that hit parts of Japan earlier this year. Air China’s Star Alliance partner All Nippon Airways (ANA) will also introduce flights between the two international cities from June 19 on a daily schedule.

An estimated 54,000 O&D passengers travelled on the route in the past year, the majority connecting via Shanghai Pu Dong on the flights of Air China and China Eastern Airlines. Chengdu’s Shuangliu International Airport Company has witnessed rapid growth over the past decade and is now the largest air hub and passenger and cargo distribution centre in the central western region of China. Last year it handled 25.8 million passengers, making it the sixth busiest airport in China and it is currently working on the construction of a new passenger terminal (T2) due to open in early 2012, to further boost capacity. It will be the host of next year’s Routes Asia forum which is due to take place between April 15 and 17, 2012.

Schedule:

CA423 CTU1210 – 1740NRT 319 247
CA424 NRT1900 – 2320CTU 319 247