The China of today resembles the United States of yesterday in terms of air transport from Europe. 25 years ago, all European airports were dreaming of North Atlantic routes. And of Berlin to Marseille, from Bologna to Belfast, airlines were opening routes with varying degrees of success.
It's the same phenomenon we're seeing today. Visit air boom is real and fuelled by some 12 million Chinese tourists that are sweeping across the European continent. Since last year, thesurge in China-Europe traffic is characterised in particular by direct air routes from secondary towns on both continents.
In the space of five years, China has become the main Asian destination from Europe, with a dozen Chinese cities now linked to a dozen cities on the European continent.
The company that best embodies this enthusiasm is Beijing Capital Airways (BCA)affiliated to Hainan Airlines Group. The carrier, which arrived in Europe in 2015, has launched new air routes that would have seemed well suited to the European market. far-fetched only a decade ago... It links Hangzhou - 150 km to the north of Shanghai - Madrid and Copenhagen. This year, it was the turn of Lisbon to be connected to Hangzhou via Beijing, the Portuguese capital's first link to China. Madrid appears to be a prime location: last year BCA inaugurated a service to Chengdu and this year it launched its third scheduled service to Qingdao, in northern China. This winter it is planning flights to Helsinki and Zagreb, again from Hangzhou.
The Balkans also seem to be of growing interest to Chinese carriers, with Hainan Airlines launching a flight to the Balkans on 15 September. Belgradewith two frequencies per week via Prague. Once again, a first for the Serbian capital. On its side, Air China has decided to accelerate the inauguration of a non-stop flight on Athens. One of the carrier's aircraft will be landing twice a week in the Greek capital from the end of September.
China's national carrier is also strengthening its offer in Europe, in particular at Paris. The company spends from 9 to 11 weekly flights to Beijing this winter and two to three weekly frequencies on Chengdu. China Eastern is not to be outdone. At the end of October, it will inaugurate two weekly flights between Prague and Xian, with an extension to Shanghai. China Eastern will also be increasing its frequencies on Paris-Shanghaifrom 11 to 13 flights a week. China Southern, meanwhile, is planning to launch its first route to Europe from Shenzhen in the coming weeks. The lucky winner is Moscow which will be linked by two flights a week with its counterpart in Hong Kong, People's Republic of China.
Other lines are in preparation. There is a lot of talk about Barcelona, Budapest and Dublin. The UK recently signed a open sky agreement with China. In addition to LondonBirmingham and Manchester are likely to gain access to Chinese territory.
All of which raises hopes for France's airports. Lyon, Nice and Toulouse dream of China. Lyon and Nice certainly have natural potential, while in Toulouse it would be a political gesture to support an airport in which part of the capital is now in Chinese hands...
