From June 20 through Sept. 10, the Shanghai-based carrier is offering a daily flight leaving Shanghai at 2.30 p.m. and arriving in the Canadian city at 10.30 a.m. on the same day. The plane will then depart Vancouver at 12.20 p.m. and arrive in Shanghai the following day at 3.25 p.m.
For China-bound passengers, the airline will provide complimentary connecting to flights to 40 major cities in the country. For those who can't make a connecting flight on their arrival day, China Eastern will provide free hotel accommodation in Shanghai.
Speaking at the Vancouver airport Monday, Margaret Meng, China Eastern's chief executive officer, said the daily service was needed as the flights on the Airbus A340 aircraft, were currently running at 80 to 85 percent capacity. The summer flights were expected to be at 90 percent capacity or higher.
She also cited the Approved Destination Status (ADS) that was granted to Canada in December. The status, which is currently in the final steps of approval, will make it easier for Chinese tourists to visit Canada.
Meng said Vancouver's hosting of the Winter Olympics earlier this year had only increased the importance of the city's "gateway position to Asia, as evidenced by the increasing post-Games trip activities between China and Canada."
She also mentioned a television survey that reported more than 850 million Chinese had watched some of the Winter Olympics and that last year Chinese visitor arrivals in Canada were 130 percent greater than the 1997 figure.
"Once the ADS agreement has been finalized between the two countries, the figure will increase by leaps and bounds," Meng said, adding she hoped Canadians would take the opportunity to visit the World Expo, currently ongoing in Shanghai.
