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China Eastern Airlines today commenced three times weekly services between Shanghai Pudong and Perth, for a five-week trial period from 15 January to 17 February 2020, using Airbus A330-200 aircraft, with B-5936 operating the first MU265/MU266 service.
This is the first time China Eastern has flown to Perth. The airline already operates to Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, and previously operated to Cairns. Other Perth services to China include China Southern’s daily services to Guangzhou and Cathay Pacific’s 10-times weekly services to the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong.
Aircraft
The A330-200s used on Perth services are in a two-class, 232-seat configuration with 30 business seats (1-2-1 across) and 202 economy seats (2-4-2 across). Return economy fares are priced from $698.
B-5936 Airbus A330-243 (MSN 1461) was used for the first service. Powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 772C-60 engines, it first flew at Toulouse, France on 13 September 2013 and was delivered direct from Toulouse to Shanghai Pudong on 24-25 October 2013.
MU265 Shanghai to Perth
B-5936 operating flight MU265, with 185 passengers aboard, pushed back from gate 18 at Shanghai Pudong Airport at 12:08am (8 minutes early) and took off from runway 34L at 12:42am. It flew just off the coast of China until near Hong Kong, then south over Borneo, Bali and Karratha, reaching a cruise altitude of 38,000 feet.
MU265 passed east of Perth Airport and landed on runway 03 at 9:43am.
There was no traditional water cannon salute from fire crews for the first service. It was considered inappropriate due to the droughts and tragic bush fires in the Eastern States of Australia.
B-5936 taxied in and parked at Bay 151, Terminal 1 International at 9:50am.
Passengers checking in for the first departure from Perth were presented with gift bags. The check in area was decorated with special signage and balloons in China Eastern colours.
After take-off, the aircraft turned left and flew out over the coast just south of Hillarys Boat Harbour and then headed north, back inland over Two Rocks and out over the Pilbara coast near Onslow, over Barrow Island, Bali, Borneo, Hong Kong and then northeast to Shanghai Pudong Airport.
It landed on Shanghai Pudong’s runway 35L at 8:47pm, arriving at Terminal 1 at 8:56pm.
Schedule
Operates Monday, Wednesday, Friday for 5 weeks trial (15 January to 17 February 2020).
Flight number
Route
Departs
Arrives
MU265
Shanghai – Perth
12:20am
9:50am
MU266
Perth – Shanghai
11:50am
9:15pm
Background
A delegation of State Government officials, Perth Airport and other visited China Eastern in 2017 and followed up with numerous other meetings to secure the new trial service. The service has potential to increase tourism and business, so there are hopes it will become a permanent service if the trial proves successful.
Perth Airport CEO Kevin Brown noted “One daily international direct flight has the potential to deliver an additional $70 million to our State’s economy and create more than 600 new jobs. Chinese visitation to WA has increased by 12.4 per cent to 64,400 visitors. And those visitors spent $273 million in WA.”
“If the trial is successful and leads to the introduction of three weekly services year-round, it could mean an additional $40 million in tourism spend for the WA economy.”
WA Tourism Minister Paul Papalia was on the inaugural flight, having been in China negotiating with China Eastern Airlines to turn the trial into an ongoing service. He said the trial is already successful with an average of 83 per cent of seats being sold. “If you remove the three return flights at the end of the trial, taking people back without bringing people over, it is actually 94 per cent sold,” he said.
