MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

China Eastern announces service to Ezeiza through Auckland

The Chinese carrier's plans were announced Wednesday after an agreement with Auckland Airport

China Eastern Airlines will launch in December a new air route linking Shanghai and Buenos Aires, with a stopover in Auckland, New Zealand. It will be the first direct route between China and Argentina, operating twice a week with Boeing 777s. This “southern pass” is a faster, more convenient alternative to traditional routes through Europe or North America, it was explained.

The carrier also plans to request fifth freedom rights (also known as loading and unloading in a third country), allowing it to pick up and drop off passengers and cargo in Auckland, boosting connections between China, New Zealand, and Argentina. Additionally, China Eastern may increase its Shanghai–Auckland flights from 7 to 9 per week. The route still awaits final approval.

The new service would also pick up the baton from the old transpolar service once available through Aerolíneas Argentinas (in the 1990s), and most recently, Air New Zealand (between 2015 and 2020), which was discontinued largely due to the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions. At present, there are no direct flights between the two cities.

The Chinese carrier's plans were announced Wednesday after an agreement with Auckland Airport, providing for commercial flights between Shanghai Pudong International and Ezeiza, using the New Zealand facility as an intermediate point, where passengers would not be required to change aircrafts.

Starting this month, China grants visa-free entry to citizens of Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay allowing 30-day stays for tourism, business, family visits, or transit. This move is part of China’s broader strategy to enhance ties with Latin America, promote personnel exchanges, and align the region with its existing visa-exemption policies for many European and Asian countries. The new route would be consistent with that initiative.