Turkish Airlines and China Eastern Airlines have signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Shanghai to expand mutual cooperation in areas of domestic and international transit and ground services.

The agreement follows Chinese carriers’ intention to operate flights to Istanbul – a major indicator of the post-pandemic recovery of the Turkiye-Mainland China market.

China Eastern Airlines joined airlines that are operating flights between Turkiye-Mainland China with its inaugural flight on September 28, 2023, on the Shanghai-Istanbul route. Turkish Airlines currently operates seven weekly flights on the same route and China Eastern Airlines will operate three, weekly.

Turkish Airlines CEO Bilal Eksi, said: “Our operations to People’s Republic of China continue with seven weekly frequencies each in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Beijing. In addition to our direct flights, we will continue to take steps to ensure our growth in the Chinese market.”

Li Yangmin, CEO of China Eastern Airlines, said: “The opening of China Eastern Airlines air service from Pudong, Shanghai to Istanbul, Turkiye, will further facilitate trade and personnel movement between the two countries.

“China Eastern Airlines and Turkish Airlines have a good foundation for cooperation. With the opening of this air service and the signing of the memorandum, the space for future cooperation between the two sides will be broader. We look forward to strengthening communication and exchanges between the two sides and cooperating in the fields of domestic and international transit, ground services and networks to jointly create a better future for both sides.” – TradeArabia News Service