Melbourne Airport is currently basking in the happiness over the return of Chinese carries with Chinese New Year holiday season. China Eastern Airlines became the first of three big Chinese airlines to resume regular flights to Melbourne.
Xiamen Airlines, which has flown the only continuous service into Melbourne from mainland China through the pandemic, has increased its frequency from once a week to three times a week.
The country’s largest airline, China Southern Airlines, is due to resume service from Guangzhou tomorrow and by the end of March will have ten flights a week from Melbourne.
Other Chinese carriers are also returning, with Sichuan Airlines recommencing flights from Chengdu, Air China flying three times a week from Beijing and Beijing Capital Airlines restarting service from Qingdao.
From a peak of around 70 weekly flights from mainland China before the pandemic, in recent months Melbourne Airport has been served by just one flight a week.
Jim Parashos, Chief of Aviation, Melbourne Airport, said: “Companies are now recruiting for hundreds more local staff to help service the returned capacity. These services will help bring hundreds of mainland Chinese tourists, business leaders and students into Victoria every day, so the employment and economic benefits go much further than Melbourne Airport.”
Meanwhile, passengers arriving directly into Australia from mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau are currently required to present proof of a negative Covid-19 test before boarding their flight.