Air China and China Eastern Airlines intend to resume within a two-month timeframe some international services that were suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Shanghai-based China Eastern says it will restart “more than 800” domestic and international flights over the next two months, starting from 25 February.
Flights from Kunming to two cities in Myanmar – capital Yangon and Mandalay – are first in line to be resumed, it adds.
Air China plans to resume Frankfurt flights from Chengdu on 28 February, operating them twice weekly with Airbus A330-200s. Cirium fleets data shows that the A330s are configured with 265 seats.
The Star Alliance carrier resumed its Singapore service from Chengdu on 7 February.
Cirium schedules data indicate that prior to the suspension of the two routes, Air China served Frankfurt thrice weekly from Chengdu, while the Singapore route was operated four times a week. Other international points that the airline serves from Chengdu include Colombo, Paris, Sydney and Tokyo Narita.
Air China acknowledges that the coronavirus outbreak has “severely impacted” the aviation market, but notes that “air transportation is an important means of transport for [those] returning to work” following the end of the extended Lunar New Year holiday.
China Southern and Hainan Airlines have not indicated any plans to resume suspended international services. Cirium fleets data indicates that Hainan has parked 67 widebodies: 32 Boeing 787s, 28 A330s and seven A350s.
Low-cost operator Spring Airlines has said that some domestic flights suspended previously will resume in the coming days.
