China Southern Airlines lands in Fiumicino. As of today, it is possible to reach Guangzhou (Canton), via Wuhan, with three flights a week. 

The inaugural ceremony of the flight, which will be operated with the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner, was held at Leonardo da Vinci airport, in the presence of Fausto Palombelli, Marketing Aviation Director of Aeroporti di Roma, and Guo Jianye, General Manager of China Southern Airlines.

“We are proud to host a direct flight, with a super modern aircraft, to two important Chinese cities, thanks to the biggest Asian vector, 6th in the world rating - said Palombelli. With these three weekly flights, which we hope will have a significant development in 2016, we estimate over 50 thousand passengers. In 2015, more than 500 thousand passengers travelled on the routes from Fiumicino to China, over 12% compared to 2014, and we aim to have a significant increase the next year. These figures are no coincidence, but the result of a planned strategy Adr started two years ago”.

“There are now thirty weekly flights connecting the Leonardo da Vinci airport to Greater China, affirmed Palombelli, six companies operating towards seven Chinese destinations - connected directly, in addition to Hong Kong and Taiwan. The airport is therefore confirmed as the top European airport, together with Charles De Gaulle in Paris, in terms of the number of Chinese cities reached by direct flights, and the only airport in the European Union hosting all the major airline companies. This record ensures direct accessibility from Rome to all the major Chinese cities hosting the Italian consular diplomatic network, including the city of Chongqing, where Italy has opened a General Consulate, and confirms Fiumicino’s leadership in this market segment, as well as the attraction of Rome and its airport for passengers coming from the Far East.”

The positions of Guangzhou and Wuhan are of strategic importance from a business and logistics point of view: the first is the largest coastal city in south China , and with nearly 13 million inhabitants is the third for residents and importance after Shanghai  and Beijing . The Canton route to Australia starts from here, with the new Boeing B787 Dreamliner.

Wuhan, with over 9 million inhabitants, is considered the  “Chinese Chicago”: all the most business dynamic areas - Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing - are within an 700 miles and can be reached in just an hour and a half by plane.

In 2014, China Southern - the first Chinese civilian airline company to reach this milestone - transported more than 100 million passengers, reaching the top position in Asia and third place world wide.