Shenzhen Airport Co.,Ltd. has officially inaugurated its 60th international passenger route, marking a full recovery to pre-pandemic 2019 levels. The newly launched Shenzhen-Tawau route, operated by Zhejiang Loong Airlines using Airbus A320 aircraft, carried 155 passengers on its maiden flight with a seat occupancy rate of 90.6%.
The route's launch aligns with the implementation of the China-Malaysia mutual visa exemption policy effective July this year. Leveraging this opportunity, Shenzhen Airport has progressively opened multiple routes to Malaysian cities, facilitating business, family visits, tourism, and academic exchanges between the Greater Bay Area and Malaysia.
Tawau, located in southeastern Sabah, Malaysia, serves as a key distribution hub for agricultural and marine products such as cocoa, palm oil, and seafood. Known for its tropical ecology and coastal economy, the region also functions as a gateway to diving and resort destinations like Semporna. The direct flight will significantly reduce travel time for Greater Bay Area residents to eastern Malaysia, boosting cross-border tourism.
In 2023, Shenzhen Airport expanded its global network by adding or increasing frequency on 27 international routes, including flights to Mexico City, Male, Tokyo, and Dubai, through partnerships with carriers like Shenzhen Airlines, China Southern Airlines, and Emirates. Currently, its international routes cover 60 cities across five continents. Additional routes, such as direct flights to Melbourne, Australia, are slated for launch this month, further solidifying its role as a comprehensive international aviation hub.
Concurrently, infrastructure upgrades are enhancing operational capacity. The recent commissioning of Shenzhen Airport's third runway—making it China's 13th airport with three or more runways—has alleviated peak-hour flight congestion, handling over 200 flights since its December 6 debut.
From January to November, international and regional passenger traffic at Shenzhen Airport exceeded 5.7 million, up 23% year-on-year. With the third runway's expanded capacity and optimized air-ground coordination, the airport anticipates sustained improvements in flight volume and efficiency, supporting future route expansions and regional air transport demand.
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