China Southern Airlines has relaunched its direct service between Guangzhou and Adelaide today in a step to reconnect South Australia with a major international market. The airline, one of China’s largest, first launched the route in December 2016 but paused operations in March 2020 due to the pandemic.
The first flight, CZ663, is scheduled to land at Adelaide Airport at 9:55am today. Going forward, the service will operate three times a week on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Flights will depart Guangzhou at 10:15pm, arriving in Adelaide the next morning at 9:55am. The return flight will leave Adelaide at 11:30am and arrive in Guangzhou at 6:05pm.
The return of direct flights will help SA’s connectivity to not only China, but also broader markets in Asia, Europe, and North America, all of which will help boost the states tourism and trade. The service will run three times a week until March 2025, with the possibility of becoming a year-round operation as demand increases. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner used for these flights will add 798 seats per week, opening new opportunities for both tourism and trade, particularly for South Australia’s premium food exporters.
The service will also help facilitate important freight exports, including agricultural products like wine, seafood, and fresh produce, strengthening trade links between SA and China. The Chinese market is important for the state’s economy, as it was South Australia’s largest source of international visitors prior to the pandemic.
“China is such an important market for us and welcoming back China Southern is a huge boost for the South Australian economy,” Brenton Cox, Managing Director Adelaide Airport, said.
“It also reconnects families and stimulates vital tourism and trade between our two countries. It is an essential link in our network vision that will grow our state’s economy.
“The return of China Southern is also a significant stimulus for our exporters at a time when trade restrictions between China and Australia on products such as beef and lobsters have recently been lifted.
“The widebody Dreamliner can carry South Australian products to one of China’s largest cities, and in turn providing easier one-stop access to markets throughout China.”
In 2019, Chinese tourists contributed $384 million to the state’s visitor economy, and visitor numbers are already rebounding. In the year ending June 2024, Chinese visitation reached 32,000, up 99% from the previous year, and expenditure increased by 42% to $144 million.
This marks the second major international airline to return to Adelaide in less than two months, following Emirates’ reinstatement of daily flights between Dubai and Adelaide on October 28th.
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