Capital Airlines, the Beijing-based subsidiary of Hainan Airlines, announced it will begin its second regular connection between China and Melbourne as of June 16th. Operations will be performed three times a week with Airbus A330-200 aircraft configured for 260/264 passengers. 

The airline, which currently serves Australia’s second busiest airport from Qingdao, will inaugurate flights on the Hangzhou – Melbourne route, becoming the only operator between these cities. 

With the two connections, Beijing Capital Airlines will offer five weekly flights in Melbourne, and will reach three routes from/to Australia.

Hangzhou will become the eighth non-stop destination in mainland China to/from Melbourne, and the additional flights will bring capacity back to 91% of pre-pandemic levels in the Chinese market.

In 2024, Melbourne Airport set new monthly records for international passengers in both February and March, but Chinese passenger numbers remain lower, with the number of Chinese passport holders traveling to Victoria just 62% of pre-pandemic levels.

Beijing Capital Airlines schedule between Hangzhou and Melbourne:

Wednesday, Friday and Sunday

• JD 385  Hangzhou HGH 15:50 · 05:00+1 MEL Melbourne

Monday, Thursday and Saturday

• JD 386  Melbourne MEL 07:00 · 15:50 HGH Hangzhou

We review the airline’s schedule to Melbourne from Qingdao, its only current connection at this airport, which operates with Airbus A330-300: 

Tuesday and Saturday

• JD 461  Qingdao TAO 22:20 · 11:35+1 MEL Melbourne

Wednesday and Sunday

• JD 462  Melbourne MEL 13:35 · 22:45 TAO Qingdao

With respect to the other route offered in Australia, Beijing Capital performs this schedule:

Thursday/Friday

• JD 479  Qingdao TAO 20:20 · 09:45+1 SYD Sydney
• JD 480  Sydney SYD 11:55 · 21:30 TAO Qingdao

Sunday/Monday

• JD 479  Qingdao TAO 18:45 · 08:35+1 SYD Sydney
• JD 480  Sydney SYD 11:05 · 20:15 TAO Qingdao

These are Australia’s current connections with China.

Sydney is the main passenger gateway from China, with 13 non-stop scheduled routes, followed by Melbourne and Brisbane, with 7 and 2, respectively.

Air China

• Beijing (PEK) – Melbourne (MEL): 4 weekly · Airbus A350-900 (1.248)
• Beijing (PEK) – Sydney (SYD): 4 weekly · Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner (1.172)

Beijing Capital Airlines

• Qingdao (TAO) – Melbourne (MEL): 2 weekly · Airbus A330-300 (605)
• Qingdao (TAO) – Sydney (SYD): 2 weekly · Airbus A330-300 (605)

China Southern Airlines

• Guangzhou (CAN) – Brisbane (BNE): 4 weekly · Airbus A350-900 (1.340)
• Guangzhou (CAN) – Melbourne (MEL): 10 weekly · Boeing 787-9 (2.970)
• Guangzhou (CAN) – Sydney (SYD): 14 weekly · A359/789 (4.424)

China Eastern Airlines

• Hangzhou (HGH) – Sydney (SYD): 2 weekly · Airbus A330-200 (468)
• Jinan (TNA) – Sydney (SYD): 3 weekly · Airbus A330-200 (702)
• Nanjing (NKG) – Sydney (SYD): 3 weekly · Airbus A330-200 (702)
• Shanghai (PVG) – Brisbane (BNE): 3 weekly · Airbus A330-200 (702)
• Shanghai (PVG) – Melbourne (MEL): 10 weekly · A359/789 (2.859)
• Shanghai (PVG) – Sydney (SYD): 10 weekly · A359/789 (2.859)
• Shenzhen (SZX) – Sydney (SYD): 3 weekly · Airbus A330-300 (900)
• Wuhan (WUH) – Sydney (SYD): 3 weekly · Airbus A330-200 (702)

Hainan Airlines

• Haikou (HAK) – Melbourne (MEL): 3 weekly · Airbus A330-300 (909)
• Haikou (HAK) – Sydney (SYD): 4 weekly · A333/789 (1.190)

Qantas

• Sydney (SYD) – Shanghai (PVG): 5 weekly · Airbus A330-300 (1.485)

Sichuan Airlines

• Chengdu (TFU) – Melbourne (MEL): 4 weekly · Airbus A330-200 (1.096)
• Chengdu (TFU) – Sydney (SYD): 5 weekly · Airbus A330-200 (1.370)

Tianjin Airlines

• Chongqing (CKG) – Sydney (SYD): 1 weekly · Airbus A330-200 (260)
• Zhengzhou (CGO) – Sydney (SYD): 2 weekly · A332/A333 (561)

Xiamen Air

• Xiamen (XMN) – Melbourne (MEL): 7 weekly · Boeing 787-8/9 (1.800)
• Xiamen (XMN) – Sydney (SYD): 7 weekly · 788/789 (1.800)

*The number between () shows the approximate weekly seats offered per leg.

After the reopening of borders in early 2023, China gradually recovered its international connectivity, as well as the passenger traffic through its different markets with operations. 

Prior to the pandemic, China was Australia’s biggest international inbound market, averaging 1.5 million visitors per year. 

At present, the China-Australia market is still at a lower level compared to pre-COVID-19. By the beginning of 2024, the level was at 80% recovery. 

During 2023, several Chinese airlines resumed services to Australia from different cities. Most of these are restarts after the suspension due to the pandemic, as is the case of Hangzhou. 

In June, it will resume its connection with Melbourne following a four-year hiatus, since flights were last operated in February 2020, when Xiamen Airlines offered twice-weekly. 

By mid-year, with the start of Hangzhou – Melbourne, and increased frequencies on selected routes, the market is expected to be close to 90% of 2019 levels, and is estimated to be at 95% in September.

Beijing Capital Airlines’ Airbus A330s:

The company took delivery of its first Airbus A330 (B-8019) in July 2015. At the time, the aircraft was six years old and came from Garuda Indonesia, its last operator, which had retired it in April of that year. 

By the end of 2015, Capital incorporated its second Airbus A330, and until 2018, added two per year (between A332s and A333s). 

Its only Airbus A330 freighter, operating under the B-32FE registration, was delivered in January 2024.

Lisbon, London, Madrid, Male, Melbourne and Sydney are Beijing Capital Airlines’ routes outside the Asian market. Some of these connections are made from Hangzhou, while others from Qingdao. Male is only operated from/to Beijing Daxing.

Cover photo: sebsmeister – JetPhotos (Hangzhou, China).