Dragonair resumes flight to Shanghai's Hongqiao Airport

Authorities agreed to open airport for flights between Hong Kong and China.

Dragonair on Wednesday announced that it will resume its service to Hongqiao International Airport in Shanghai on 15 September - the first time for the airline to fly into the airport since moving its operation to Pudong International Airport in October 2002, according to a Dragonair report.

The Hongqiao service is being resumed following an announcement by the Hong Kong SAR Government earlier this year that an agreement had been made with relevant authorities in the Mainland to add Shanghai Hongqiao as a destination for scheduled air services between Hong Kong and Mainland China.

The Hongqiao service will be a daily flight operated by an Airbus A330 aircraft, with a convenient morning departure from Hong Kong.

“Thanks to the efforts of the Hong Kong SAR Government and relevant authorities in the Mainland in putting in place this new arrangement, we are pleased to be able to resume flying into Shanghai’s Hongqiao International Airport - one of the busiest airports in the Mainland,” said Dragonair Chief Executive Officer James Tong.

“The Hongqiao flights will further boost our services between Hong Kong and Shanghai, providing more choice and greater convenience for travellers to and from the Yangtze River Delta area and, at the same time, strengthening Hong Kong’s position as the major gateway to the Mainland.”

Hongqiao International Airport, located in the Puxi area of Shanghai, is close to the city centre and connects to an extensive transportation network, including direct links to the high-speed railway.

Dragonair started operating chartered flights to Shanghai in 1988. The airline currently offers 16 daily flights between Hong Kong and Pudong, three of which are code-share services operated by sister airline Cathay Pacific.