Chinese carrier Juneyao Air is launching a new route between Shanghai and Athens from next April, almost four years after the pandemic thwarted the carrier’s plans to begin serving the cities nonstop.

The Shanghai-based airline previously intended to make the Greek capital its second European destination—joining Helsinki—from June 2020, but the proposals were put on hold indefinitely following the onset of the COVID-19 crisis.

However, Juneyao has now resurrected plans to begin connecting Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) and Athens International Airport (ATH), with flights set to commence on April 2, 2024. Service on the 5,315-mi. (4,619-nm) route will be offered three times per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays using Boeing 787-9 aircraft, data provided by OAG Schedules Analyser shows.

“This is an exciting development for our airport, our city and our country and of course for the traveling public,” ATH Director of Communications & Marketing Ioanna Papadopoulou says. “It significantly increases our market’s connectivity through the airline’s rich network, also boosting the attraction and the importance of the Chinese market to Greece, which is growing year-on-year.”

Juneyao initially ventured into the European market in June 2019, linking PVG and Helsinki Airport (HEL). The airline currently operates the service four times per week, as well as flying weekly between Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport (CGO) and HEL, taking advantage of its ability to overfly Siberia while carriers such as Finnair are unable to use Russian airspace. Milan Malpensa will also be added to the carrier’s network from the start of the winter 2023-24 season with two flights per week from CGO.

The new route between Shanghai and Athens will be the only nonstop connection between the two cities following Air China’s suspension of the route, which it operated between December 2022 and February 2023. It will also mark the second direct link between China and Greece. Air China’s Beijing Capital (PEK) to ATH flights are currently available three times a week and operated using Airbus A330 aircraft. 

Greece attracted around 200,000 visitors from China during 2019 and it is hoped the addition of new nonstop flights will further drive the growth. In 2022, the two countries agreed to work together to enhance tourist flows and increase tourism-related investment.

Juneyao flies to 40 domestic destinations in mainland China from its PVG hub at present, as well as 15 international points. The airline has a fleet of 92 aircraft, including six 787-9s.