China Eastern to Offer Double Daily Link to Paris

China Eastern Airlines is to offer two daily flights between Shanghai Pu Dong and Paris CDG this summer an increase on the frequency it offered last summer. The carrier currently offers a single daily rotation on the route during the Northern Winter schedule but will introduce a second rotation from June 30, 2012 – it had offered ten flights per week during summer 2011.

According to the latest update of the airline’s GDS inventory, the two flights will be operated using Airbus A330-200 equipment, representing a 50 per cent increase in capacity over the current schedule and a 40 per cent growth on last summer.

China Eastern Airlines co-operates with its SkyTeam alliance partner Air France on the route with each carrier codesharing on the other’s flight. The French national carrier currently offers 12 flights per week and holds a 43 per cent share of the estimated 287,000 O&D passengers that travelled on the route.

China Eastern has a smaller 32 per cent share and notably offers average fares that are around a third cheaper than its partner. Like most routes between China and Europe demand on this city pair is growing with traffic up 12.9 per cent in the past year.