summary
New direct flights to Melbourne and Sydney expand Juneyao Air's global network from Shanghai to the Southern Hemisphere. Juneyao Air has launched three intercontinental routes to Europe this year with destinations in Athens, Manchester and Brussels. Expansion of new destinations in Europe and Australia, introduction of flagship 787 aircraft with premium cabin amenities.
Juneyao Airlines has announced a significant expansion of its global network with the launch of two new intercontinental direct flights from Shanghai to Melbourne and Sydney, Australia.
The service, scheduled to begin in mid-December 2024, will mark Juneyao Airlines' first scheduled passenger flight to the Southern Hemisphere, highlighting the airline's accelerating international growth this year.
Photo: Juneyao Airlines
Expanding global reach with new destinations
The Shanghai-Melbourne route will begin operations on December 19, with flights three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, while the Shanghai-Sydney route will be launched on December 16, initially operating four times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. These two routes not only mark Juneyao Airlines' first entry into the South Pacific market, but also provide complementary schedules with daily flights between Shanghai and Australia.
Juneyao Airlines has been actively expanding its international footprint throughout 2024. In the first half of the year, it introduced new routes from Shanghai to Bali, Penang and Athens, as well as increasing frequency to Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Jeju Island, Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Singapore. In July, it launched new routes to Manchester and Brussels, further strengthening its presence in Europe.
Fleet expansion and introduction of wide-body aircraft
Founded in 2006 as a subsidiary of the Juneyao Group, Juneyao Airlines has steadily expanded its fleet and market presence and, in 2018, operated just over 60 aircraft, having begun introducing Boeing 787 wide-body jets, a major move for the long-haul operator.
As of 2024, Juneyao Airlines operates a fleet of 121 aircraft, including 88 Airbus A320 series aircraft, 25 Boeing 737 series aircraft, and 8 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. The average age of the aircraft is 7.13 years, with Airbus aircraft accounting for 73% of the total.
Photo: Juneyao Airlines
In December 2023, Juneyao Airlines took delivery of a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner in Seattle, marking Boeing's first direct delivery of a 787 to a Chinese airline since November 2019. The aircraft is also the 100th 787 purchased directly by China's civil aviation sector.
Juneyao Airlines has ordered 10 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, has already received eight and will receive the remaining two by the end of 2024. These aircraft will be central to the airline's long-haul strategy, especially on routes to Europe and Australia.
Photo: Juneyao Airlines
The new routes to Melbourne and Sydney, like its existing European routes to Athens, Manchester and Brussels, will be operated by Juneyao Airlines' flagship 787 aircraft. The aircraft feature the airline's “Dream Journey” cabin theme, equipped with 29 Thompson Vantage XL full-flat Business Class seats and 295 Recaro CL3710 ergonomic Economy Class seats. Passengers can enjoy a range of in-flight amenities, including large touchscreen entertainment systems, high-speed Wi-Fi and multiple charging ports, ensuring a comfortable experience even on long-haul flights.
As Juneyao Airlines continues to expand its wide-body fleet, the airline's ambitions to expand its international routes are becoming increasingly clear. It remains to be seen whether the private airline can fully capitalize on growing global travel demand to achieve sustainable revenue growth in the coming years, but what do you think?
