Chinese airline resumes direct link between Beijing and Lisbon

Sfollowing a statement sent by the company to Lusa, the inaugural flight JD627 left at 10:55 (Beijing time) and landed at 5:15 (local time) at Lisbon Airport, marking the first direct link between Daxing and the Portuguese capital.

The route of approximately 13 hours will be operated weekly on Mondays with wide fuselage Airbus A330 aircraft.

Portugal already has a regular flight to China operated by the same company twice a week, between Lisbon and Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang Province.

This link has a frequency of two weekly flights, being operated regularly since the resumption of air links between the two countries, after the end of the Chinese 'zero covid' policy.

There are currently no regular direct flights between Lisbon and Beijing, and the connections are normally secured with European or Middle East hubs.

The airline's announcement comes in the context of the United States and Israel's war against Iran, which led to the cancellation of several scheduled flights in the region.

At the welcoming ceremony, organised jointly with ANA Aeroportos de Portugal and the Chinese Embassy in Lisbon, Ambassador Yang Yirui said that “this link is an important milestone in the aeronautical cooperation between China and Portugal, contributing to deepen bilateral collaboration in the areas of trade, investment, tourism, education and cultural exchange”.

ANA’s commercial director Karen Strougo stressed in the statement that “Lisboa strengthens its position as a European hub and transatlantic platform, allowing passengers from China to access destinations in Europe, America and Africa through TAP Air Portugal’s network.”.

Meanwhile, Capital Airlines representative Coral Chen stressed that “the successful inauguration of the Beijing Daxing-Lisbon route was only possible thanks to the support of the government authorities in China and Portugal, civil aviation regulatory bodies, partner airports and all sectors of society.”.

Since the beginning of the year, Daxing airport has opened several international routes, including direct flights to Helsinki, Frankfurt and Milan, further expanding its European network, the airport told the official Chinese newspaper Global Times on Monday.

The expansion of direct air links between Portugal and China also occurs in a context marked by operational asymmetries in the aviation sector.

Chinese airlines continue to benefit from access to Russian airspace, unlike European carriers, which are prevented from using it following the sanctions imposed on Moscow after the invasion of Ukraine.

This difference translates into shorter routes and lower operating costs for Chinese companies on flights between Asia and Europe, giving them a relevant competitive advantage over European counterparts, who are forced to bypass Russian airspace, increasing flight times and fuel consumption.

Capital Airlines was jointly financed and established by the Beijing Municipal Government and the HNA Aviation Group in 2010.

The company opened the first direct air link between China and Portugal in 2017. In the first year it flew to Portugal, the company transported more than 80 thousand passengers, according to company data.

The average flight occupancy rate was 80%, in the weaker months, while in the high season it exceeded 95%.