Aviation

Virgin Atlantic and China Eastern launch new Codeshare partnership

Virgin Atlantic and China Eastern are thrilled to announce a new codeshare agreement, which strengthens vital business and leisure connections to East Asia and expands access to more destinations throughout China.

The first phase of the agreement will enable Virgin Atlantic customers to connect seamlessly from the airline’s Heathrow to Shanghai services to other destinations in China on a single ticket, including Chengdu, Changsha, Qingdao, Shenzhen, and Xi’an. These destinations’ flights are currently on sale.

Subject to government approval, China Eastern customers will soon be able to connect through Heathrow to Caribbean and African destinations such as Jamaica, Nassau, Lagos, Cape Town, and Johannesburg.

Virgin Atlantic joined the SkyTeam alliance last year, and China Eastern is one of its fellow members. The two airlines have had a convenient co-location at Shanghai Pudong Terminal One since November. Members of China Eastern Miles and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Gold and Silver can benefit from SkyPriority services here, such as priority check-in, boarding, and additional baggage.

Members of Flying Club can now earn Virgin Points and Tier Points on every codeshare flight with China Eastern, which expedites the process of reaching rewards. It is anticipated that the ability to spend Virgin Points will arrive soon.

Aviation

COMAC Unveils Plans for the C929 to Rival Airbus and Boeing

After the success of China’s first C919 aircraft, the country is setting its sights on developing a larger plane. COMAC (Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China) has officially confirmed plans to build a widebody aircraft, marking a significant step in its aircraft lineup.

Traditionally, Airbus and Boeing dominate the widebody aircraft market, with decades of expertise in developing planes and engines capable of carrying heavy payloads. China, which currently relies on imported engines, is now aiming to challenge these giants with its own widebody jet, the C929, designed to compete with the Airbus A350 and Boeing 777.

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The C929 will be China’s first independently developed long-range widebody aircraft. It adheres to international airworthiness standards and boasts independent intellectual property rights. The baseline version is designed to seat 280 passengers and offers a range of 12,000 kilometers, catering to global demand for both regional and international air travel.

Russia, which also needs reliable narrowbody and widebody aircraft, could become a key customer for the C929. Additionally, China plans to target the broader Asian market as it continues to expand its aviation capabilities.

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China’s aviation progress includes the ARJ21 (now called C909), a regional jet with 100 seats for shorter routes, and the C919, a narrowbody jet with 180 seats designed to rival the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320. Both models have found increasing demand in the domestic market.

At China’s largest air show in Zhuhai, COMAC announced that Air China will be the launch customer for the C929 widebody jet, though details about order size and delivery timelines were not disclosed.

Other major deals announced by COMAC include:

Hainan Airlines: Firm orders for 60 C919 and 40 C909 regional jets.
Colorful Guizhou Airlines: 30 C909 jets, with 20 firm orders and 10 provisional agreements.

The C929, renamed from the CR929 after Russia withdrew from the joint development project in 2023, is expected to carry 280–400 passengers with a range of 12,000 kilometers, competing directly with Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner.

According to COMAC’s deputy general manager, Tong Yu, the first fuselage section of the C929 is expected by September 2027, with prototype test flights anticipated soon after.