BC Business
Today China Eastern Airlines announced that it is doubling its flights between Vancouver (YVR) and Shanghai (PVG), effective July 20, 2013, from one to two arrivals and departures daily.
The added flight brings the total number of direct flights between Vancouver and Shanghai to 21 a week, including seven Air Canada flights.
“China Eastern Airlines is delighted to extend its service between Vancouver and Shanghai, which will connect up to 204,000 travellers between these destinations in 2013,” says Margaret Meng, general manager of China Eastern Airlines Canada. Meng adds that the airline is also investing in a new Airbus 330-200 for the YVR-PVG route. The jet has a maximum capacity of 200 economy class and 30 business class seats. The airline will also be upgrading onboard services and redesigning the cabin crew uniforms.
Based in Shanghai, China Eastern Airlines lays claim to being the second largest airline in China, next to the state-owned China Southern Airlines. Established in 1988, it carries approximately 80 million customers on some 430 aircraft, and flies to 1,000 cities in 197 countries. The airline began flying to and from YVR in June 2004.
YVR offers 75 flights every week to mainland China and Hong Kong, more than any North American airport, according to YVR. Daily Eastern China Airlines flights from Vancouver to Shanghai will depart at 1:30 a.m. and 1:20 p.m. The flight is approximately 11.5 hours.