Brisbane now has direct fights to Shanghai, China's biggest city with a population of 24 million, following the first flight on Saturday.
China Eastern Airlines vice-president Liuwen Tian surprised and delighted Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Saturday, announcing the airline would move quickly to begin daily flights in 2017, as their original agreement set out.
![China East Airlines is beginning daily flights from Brisbane to to Shanghai.](/web/20161218041538im_/http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/d/b/6/b/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gtdayg.png/1481963694695.jpg)
Until then, four flights a week - Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday - will operate between the two cities. The first flight from Shanghai touched down about 10am on Saturday to a welcome of koala diplomacy and didgeridoos blended with a mix of Indigenous and Chinese Lion dancing.
The return flight was scheduled to land in Shanghai at 8pm China time.
![China Eastern Airlines has launched flights between Shanghai and Brisbane.](/web/20161218041538im_/http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/d/b/9/0/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gtdayg.png/1481963694695.jpg)
Queensland industry figures said the direct flights were a "coming of age" announcement for Queensland in the China market and strong news for business, tourists, international students and investors.
China Eastern Airlines is China's second largest airline and the world's seventh-largest airline with a fleet of 440 aircraft that will bring 18,000 extra Chinese visitors to Brisbane each year.
Even without direct flights between Brisbane and Shanghai there were 485,000 Chinese tourists visiting Queensland in 2016, spending more than $1 billion, Ms Palaszczuk said on Saturday.
"And we'd like to see that figure double in years to come," Ms Palaszczuk said.
![Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Tourism Minister Kate Jones, right, and Brisbane Airport Corporation chief executive ...](/web/20161218041538im_/http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/d/b/6/o/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gtdayg.png/1481963694695.jpg)
Mr Tian told hundreds of Chinese and Queensland business figures at Brisbane's International Terminal on Saturday morning that the airline would move quickly to daily flights.
"2017 is the China-Australia year of tourism and with it China sees new opportunity for development in Australia," Mr Tian said.
![Tourism Minister Kate Jones and Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk watch the Chinese dragons as China Eastern announces ...](/web/20161218041538im_/http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/d/b/9/2/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gtdayg.png/1481963694695.jpg)
Mr Tian drew big smiles and applause from Ms Palaszczuk, Tourism Minister Kate Jones and Brisbane Airport Corporation chief executive Julieanne Alroe by announcing China Eastern would move quickly to daily flights.
"We are starting out with four flights a week, but please rest assured we will work very hard to ensure that we stick to our original plan to have a flight between Shanghai and Brisbane every day," Mr Tian said.
![Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk welcomes China Eastern Airlines' first flights between Shanghai and Brisbane.](/web/20161218041538im_/http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/d/b/6/c/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gtdayg.png/1481963694695.jpg)
Ms Palaszczuk thanked China's Consul-General Zhao Jian for his assistance in establishing the bilateral agreement with China Eastern Airlines.
China Eastern Airlines was courted to begin direct flights to Brisbane by the Queensland government's $10 million Attracting Aviation Investment Fund.
"This inaugural flight today is a milestone for tourism in Queensland," Ms Palaszczuk said.
"Tourism in Queensland is going from strength to strength," she said.
"And China is one of our key partners to drive our tourism sector even further."
The Tourism Minister said the 485,000 Chinese visitors in 2016 was a 34 per cent increase in Chinese tourists to Queensland.
She said the extra tourists from four flights a week would equate to another $22.6 million a year.
The announcement comes after the Australian and Chinese governments signed an "open skies" agreement allowing unrestricted flights between the two countries.
The announcement was made by Gold Coast-based federal Trade Minister Steve Ciobo on December 4.
"Under the new arrangements, Australia and China will have an open aviation market, offering boundless opportunities for Queensland tourism and trade," Mr Ciobo said.
"This historic arrangement paves the way to further strengthen the bilateral relationship, two-way trade and international visitor flows, ahead of the Australia-China Year of Tourism in 2017."
Brisbane Marketing chief executive John Aitken said the new flights meant extra investors, international students and tourists to Brisbane.
"It is a real coming of age for Brisbane in the China market, because you are connecting into the biggest commerce market," Mr Aitken said.
"Chinese businesses and investors are saying when you have direct aviation connection you are a serious player," he said.
"The Australia Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai said five or six years ago that direct aviation links for a city is absolutely critical if you are serious about China.
"So that is why the China Eastern flights are critically important to the future of our city."
For independent news coverage, be sure to follow our Facebook feed.
0 comments
New User? Sign up