China Eastern Airlines Resumes Direct Shanghai-Delhi Flights After 5-Year Suspension

Direct flight operations between China and India were suspended since early 2020, but services are now set to resume.

China Eastern Airlines will be reinstating direct flights connecting Shanghai and Delhi starting November 9, with three weekly services scheduled.

The resumption of direct air services between India and China will begin on October 26, when IndiGo launches its flights between Kolkata and Guangzhou, marking the first direct connection in over five years.

China Eastern's Shanghai-Delhi route will operate three times weekly on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, utilizing A330-200 aircraft for these services.

According to Thursday's announcement, "The resumption of this service marks the full restoration of China Eastern Airlines' network in India, providing fresh momentum for people-to-people exchanges and economic and trade collaboration."

InterGlobe Air Transport, a division of InterGlobe Enterprises, has served as the exclusive General Sales Agent (GSA) for China Eastern Airlines in India since 2002, when the airline became the first Chinese carrier to establish direct flight connections between India and China.

Direct flights between the two countries were operational until early 2020 before being suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, with services remaining halted amid tensions related to the eastern Ladakh border dispute.

On October 2, the civil aviation ministry announced that direct air services between India and China would resume by the end of October, following ongoing technical-level discussions between civil aviation authorities as part of broader efforts to normalize bilateral relations.