Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi welcomed the inaugural flight of Air China, marking the launch of a new direct service connecting Beijing Capital International Airport with Abu Dhabi, in a move that strengthens long-haul air connectivity between the UAE and China.
The new route will operate four times a week, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, using Boeing B787-9 Dreamliner aircraft. The service is expected to support travel between East Asia and the Middle East while strengthening Abu Dhabi’s position as a strategic gateway for westbound flights across global aviation networks, according to a press release published on Abu Dhabi Airports’ website.
As China’s national flag carrier and one of the world’s largest airlines, Air China adds operational capacity to Abu Dhabi’s expanding international destination network. Its fleet comprises more than 500 passenger aircraft and serves around 200 destinations worldwide.
Ahmed Juma Al Shamsi, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Airports, said the launch of Air China flights to Zayed International Airport reflects confidence in Abu Dhabi’s position within the global aviation ecosystem. He added that direct connectivity with both of Beijing’s international airports strengthens the emirate’s role as a major hub linking China with markets across the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.
Al Shamsi noted that the new route complements the existing service to Beijing Daxing International Airport, making Zayed International Airport connected to both of the Chinese capital’s major international airports, reflecting growing travel demand between the two countries.
For his part, Hao Yudong, Air China’s General Manager in the UAE, said the new route will deepen the airline’s strategic partnership with Zayed International Airport and leverage the airport’s extensive connectivity network to support travel, trade, and tourism exchanges between China and the region.
He noted that the service will also support business travel, air cargo flows, and efforts to attract more tourists from one of the world’s largest outbound travel markets.
The new service further strengthens Abu Dhabi’s role as a regional transit hub, with late-evening arrivals and departures after midnight enabling seamless connections to multiple destinations across the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.
To view the press release on Abu Dhabi Airports’ website, click here.
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