Connecting China to the world: Air China announces new Air China Easy Way Beijing-Frankfurt

BEIJING, May 22, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Air China announced the launch of a new Air China Easy Way Beijing-Frankfurt on 22 May in collaboration with Beijing Capital Airport and Frankfurt Airport. As Air China's first international express route between China and Europe, this new project aims to develop Beijing and Frankfurt into major international aviation hubs and promote the development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. It will also provide passengers with a comfortable, seamless travel experience.

This year marks the 45th anniversary of Sino-German relations. 2017 is also a landmark year for China's Belt and Road Initiative, which offers unprecedented opportunities for cooperation between the two countries. China and Germany are located at opposite ends of the Silk Road Economic Belt. Both economies are major driving forces for regional growth, therefore strengthening Sino-German relations will be of benefit to the entire region. The aviation industry is set to play a key role in strengthening political, economic and cultural ties between the two countries. As a result, the new Air China Easy Way Beijing-Frankfurt will facilitate cultural exchanges and promote understanding and friendly relations.

On 22 September 2016, Air China signed a memorandum of understanding with Beijing Capital Airport and Frankfurt Airport in order to improve connections between China and Europe and reduce transfer times for passengers connecting in Beijing and Frankfurt. Passengers travelling on the new Air China Easy Way Beijing-Frankfurt will benefit from a number of new services, such as dedicated check-in counters, boarding gates and baggage carousels, all of which will provide a comfortable and seamless travel experience.

Based at Beijing Capital Airport, Air China operates an extensive route network covering six continents. It is currently the world's largest carrier for flights between China and Europe. The Air China Easy Way Beijing-Frankfurt was launched in 1989 and provides two direct connections per day. The route is serviced by the Boeing 747-8 and Boeing 777-300 - Air China's most modern wide-body aircraft. Home to one of the world's biggest airports, Frankfurt is a major European commercial, financial and transportation hub. In 2016, Frankfurt Airport served 60.8 million passengers flying on 88 airlines to 247 destinations in over 100 countries. Since becoming sister airports in 2011, Beijing Capital and Frankfurt airports have maintained close relations. Beijing Capital Airport is China's largest aviation hub and has an extensive route network with 147 domestic routes and 132 international routes. More than 94 million passengers travelled through the airport in 2016, making it the world's second busiest airport for the seventh year in a row.

Launched by three major players in the aviation industry, this project sets a new precedent for cooperation between airlines and airports. Over the coming months and years, Air China plans to strengthen ties with its airport partners in order to provide passengers with improved services and promote Sino-German and Sino-European ties.