China, Canada mull more direct flights

(ECNS) -- China and Canada have agreed to increase direct passenger flights, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China on Wednesday.

Air Canada plans to boost its current Vancouver-Shanghai direct round-trip flights from four a week to seven a week, starting from Dec. 7, 2024. The Vancouver-Beijing route will resume operations at seven flights per week from Jan. 15, 2025. At the same time, Chinese airlines are also accelerating their application for more flights.

The regulator said the increase in direct flights will enhance people to people exchanges, facilitate economic and trade cooperation between the two countries and promote further recovery of the air transport market.

Canada has lifted the restrictions issued on Feb. 3, 2022, which limited Chinese mainland airlines to a maximum of six round-trip passenger flights to Canada per week and prohibited direct passenger flights from Beijing, according to Canadian Transportation Agency.

Effective Oct. 25, 2024, Canada has removed all restrictions on carriers including Air China, Capital Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, and Xiamen Airlines.