Air China's Athens-Beijing route booms with 128% capacity increase

Air China and Athens International Airport celebrated on Tuesday the expansion of the Chinese flagcarrier’s scheduled service between Athens and Beijing as of next month, with an extra two flights per week and the use of even greater aircraft on the route.

In an event graced with the cutting of a special celebration cake at a central Athens hotel, Air China Athens General Manager Fan Heyun spoke of an increase in seat availability by 128% this year compared to 2023 for the carrier’s Athens-Beijing service.

This becomes possible with the expansion of the schedule as of April 1 from three to five weekly flights and the use of Airbus A350-941 aircraft, that is far larger than the A330 hitherto used.

The increasing popularity of the route linking the Chinese and the Greek capital has led Air China to the decision to utilize some of its largest and most modern aircraft, that offers 32 business seats, 24 premium economy seats and 255 economy seats for its direct flights this summer season.

Consequently, while direct flights from Europe to China have increased 2.8% from 2019 to 2024, Air China’s Athens-Beijing service will grow by 67% in the same period.