China Eastern Airlines B737 skidded off runway at Dali airport

China Eastern Airlines flight #MU5935 from Kunming skidded off runway 17 at Dali airport (China).

The Boeing 737-700 (reg. B-5242) left the runway on landing for a reason not known yet. The front landing gear bogged down into the grass.

AIRLIVE

China Eastern adds Hangzhou-Sydney from 15NOV16

China Eastern Airlines in Northern winter season plans to launch additional new route to Australia, which sees the opening of ticket sales for Beijing – Hangzhou – Sydney route. The 3 weekly flights will commence on 15NOV16, using Airbus A330-200 aircraft.

MU711 PEK2000 – 2215HGH2345 – 1330+1SYD 332 246
MU712 SYD2215 – 0550+1HGH0750+1 – 1010+1PEK 332 357

Routesonline

China Eastern plans new flights to San Francisco from 29SEP16

China Eastern this week has filed operational schedule for its planned new service to the US, which sees 3 weekly Kunming – Qingdao – San Francisco operation. The airline currently plans to commence this service from 29SEP16, on board Airbus A330-200 aircraft.

Operational schedule in the inventory currently displaying until 29OCT16 inclusive, while reservation is expected to open in the coming weeks.

MU767 KMG0750 – 1110TAO1300 – 0905SFO 332 246
MU768 SFO1045 – 1410+1TAO1600+1 – 1935+1KMG 332 246

Routesonline

China Eastern, China Southern and other SkyTeam carriers to move to Beijing New Airport in 2019

China Eastern and China Southern Airlines, along with other SkyTeam member carriers, plan to move to Beijing New Airport when it opens in 2019, according to the CAAC.

Air China and other Star Alliance member carriers are expected to remain at Beijing Capital Airport, which has a slot shortage, making it increasingly difficult for carriers to get approval to boost flight frequencies and open new routes.

Beijing New Airport, which is located in Daxing in the southeast part of Beijing, is projected to handle an annual passenger volume of 45 million in 2020, 72 million in 2025, and 100 million in the longer term. It is expected to serve Beijing, Tianjin and the Hebei province.

As early as 2011, China Southern signed a cooperation agreement with the Beijing government to allocate about 200 aircraft—Airbus A330s and A380s—to Beijing New Airport over the next 10 years.

The regulator announced Thursday it is allowing China Eastern and China Southern to build their own infrastructures at Beijing New Airport based on their respective passenger boardings that would account for 40% of the airport’s annual passenger volume. In addition, both carriers can take four years as a transition period to transfer all domestic and international routes to the new airport and enjoy some favorable policies and support in areas including international traffic rights, slots allocation, airport charges and ground handling.

Local industrial analysts said Air China was the big winner from Beijing’s decision while China Eastern would be negatively affected as it has a 50% market share on the most profitable domestic business routes from Beijing (capital airport) to Shanghai.

In addition to China’s big three carriers, CAAC said Shijiazhuang-based Hebei Airlines, Beijing Capital Airlines and China Postal Group would also move to Beijing New Airport. However, it remains unknown whether Hainan Airlines will move there. Hainan operates domestic routes out of Beijing Capital Airport’s Terminal 1 and international routes out of Terminal 2.

ATWOnline

China Eastern A332 flight MU771 near Amsterdam, engine shut down in flight

A China Eastern Airlines Airbus A330-200, registration B-5936 performing flight MU-771 from Shanghai Pudong (China) to Amsterdam (Netherlands), was descending towards Amsterdam when the crew needed to shut the right hand engine (Trent 772) down. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on Amsterdam's runway 36R.

The return flight MU-772 was cancelled.

The aircraft is still on the ground in Amsterdam about 52 hours after landing.

The Aviation Herald

China Eastern A320 at Yantai, hydraulic failure

Maintenance examining the aircraft (Photo: Feixingquan)

A China Eastern Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration B-6586 performing flight MU-277 from Yantai (China) to Osaka Kansai (Japan), was climbing out of Yantei when the crew reported a hydraulic failure and decided to divert to Qingdao (China). On approach to Qingdao the crew performed an alternate gear extension and landed safely on Qingdao's runway 17 about one hour after departure from Yantei.

A replacement A320-200 registration B-6636 reached Osaka with a delay of 6 hours.

The occurrence aircraft resumed service about 20 hours after landing in Qingdao.

The Aviation Herald

China Eastern reportedly plans four classes, PE on A350-900 & 787-9 - GirlRunway

Shanghai-based China Eastern seems set to be the first PRC airline to introduce premium economy, beating out longhaul competitors Air China, China Southern and Hainan Airlines. The class will arrive on the airline’s Airbus A350-900 and Boeing 787-9 aircraft, due to start arriving from 2018, according to a brief report in Travel Daily — which RGN has been unable to corroborate with the airline despite multiple requests.

Unusually, per the report, both the Dreamliner and the A350 will be four-class configurations, including first class, business, premium economy and economy. Almost all layouts of both the next-generation twinjets have a maximum of three classes, with business class being the top offering.British Airways’ 787-9 stands out in the currently announced crowd with its eight seats in first, using business class-style outward-facing herringbone seats. Etihad’s 787-9 has first class but no premium economy.

Only China Eastern’s Boeing 777-300ER aircraft currently have three classes (first, business, economy) while the remainder of its longhaul fleet — a mix of Airbus A330-300 and -200 — features two-class business-economy layouts. China Eastern’s now-retired Airbus A340-300 and -600 fleets also featured first class.

China Eastern’s 787-9 and A350 will vary in overall seat numbers by just three passengers: 285 on the Dreamliner to 288 on the A350, according to Travel Daily. The 787-9 will see four first class seats, 26 in business, 32 in premium economy and 227 in economy.

The A350 will be heavier on the business class — a total of 36 passengers — but with fewer economy seats at 216. I’d imagine that means China Eastern will be using a 3-3-3 configuration in economy on both aircraft, with four rows of 2-4-2 premium economy seats on the A350.

It would be a surprise — indeed, a world first — if the airline went 2-4-2 on the Dreamliner in premium economy, so I imagine that there are four full rows of 2-3-2 premium economy there, and then two extra pairs of seats to the forward or aft ends of the cabin to make up the 32-passenger premium economy numbers.

In terms of business class seating, I suspect the airline will stick with the Zodiac Cirrus seat it features on the Boeing 777-300ER and some of the Airbus A330-200 fleet. In first, a suite product seems likely, along the lines of the Zodiac Aerospace Venus seat customised by Acumen for the 777-300ER, which also features a double bed in the centre pair.

With Zodiac in the first two cabins, I’d also expect to see them featured in the premium economy section. The seatmaker currently offers four models of premium economy seating — from the older 5810 through the Airgo FX and Z500/535 family — but if I were a betting man I’d put money on the Z500/535 family, similar to the installation on Singapore Airlines.

Overall, it’s fairly interesting that China Eastern would be the first Chinese airline to make a move. It’s possible that the airline’s relatively close partnerships with both Delta Air Lines and Qantas — which appear to be much closer than international relationships from any of the other “big four” Chinese carriers — together with the airline’s decision for ultra-narrow 3-4-3 seats on the Boeing 777-300ER, swayed China Eastern.

Runwaygirlnetwork

China Eastern Increases Madrid Flights July - Sep 2016 :: Routesonline

China Eastern between Late-July and mid-September is boosting operations on its recently added Shanghai Pu Dong – Madrid route, where it’ll operate up to daily service, increase from current 4 weekly (Day x135). From 23JUL16, the airline will add 5th weekly flight (Day 5), followed by 6th weekly (Day 1) from 01AUG16 and 7th weekly (Day 3) from 10AUG16. The daily operation is in effect until 18SEP16.

MU709 PVG1230 – 2045MAD 332 D
MU710 MAD2255 – 1820+1PVG 332 D

China Eastern Increases Madrid Flights July - Sep 2016 :: Routesonline

China Eastern Temporary Closes Prague Reservation for Apr 2016 Launch | Airline Route

  

China Eastern has temporary closed reservation for its planned Shanghai Pu Dong – Prague operation, in its recent inventory update. Previously the Skyteam member opened reservation when it loaded this 3 weekly flights earlier this month, scheduled to commence on 02APR16 with Airbus A330-200 aircraft.

Reservation is expected to be re-opened at a later date.

Previously planned schedule as follow.

MU707 PVG1230 – 1815PRG 332 246
MU708 PRG2015 – 1310+1PVG 332 246

China Eastern Temporary Closes Prague Reservation for Apr 2016 Launch | Airline Route

China Eastern Extends Boeing 777 Sydney Service to mid-March 2016 | Airline Route

       

China Eastern has extended planned Boeing 777-300ER operations on Shanghai Pu Dong – Sydneyroute, previously scheduled from 15JAN16 to 19FEB16. Latest inventory update reflected in the system this week, the 777 operation is being extended into mid-March 2016 (PVG departure).

20FEB16 – 29FEB16
MU561/562 1 daily A330-200
MU735/736 1 daily 777-300ER

01MAR16 – 17MAR16
MU561/562 1 daily 777-300ER
MU735/736 3 weekly 777-300ER

China Eastern Extends Boeing 777 Sydney Service to mid-March 2016 | Airline Route

China Eastern Revises San Francisco Feb/Mar 2016 Operations | Airline Route

                        

China Eastern this week further revised planned Shanghai Pu Dong – San Francisco operation for February and March 2016. Previously, the airline plans to operate A330-200 from 15JAN16 to 20FEB16, however this is now extended to 26MAR16.

Planned 777-300ER operation during winter 2015/16 season from 12DEC15 to 14JAN16, remains unchanged.

MU589 PVG1425 – 0950SFO 332 D
MU590 SFO1200 – 1805+1PVG 332 x246
MU590 SFO1200 – 1810+1PVG 332 246

China Eastern Revises San Francisco Feb/Mar 2016 Operations | Airline Route

China Eastern Jan/Feb 2016 San Francisco Operation Changes | Airline Route

                                   

Due to aircraft redeployment, China Eastern from 15JAN16 to 20FEB16 is adjusting operational aircraft for Shanghai Pu Dong – San Francisco route. During this period, except selected dates, Airbus A330-200 aircraft will be operating this route, instead of Boeing 777-300ER.

MU589 PVG1425 – 0950SFO 332 D
MU590 SFO1200 – 1805+1PVG 332 x246
MU590 SFO1200 – 1810+1PVG 332 246

China Eastern Jan/Feb 2016 San Francisco Operation Changes | Airline Route

China Eastern Adds Prague Service from April 2016 | Airline Route

                               

China Eastern in summer 2016 season is launching its first scheduled service to Eastern Europe, as it opened reservation for Shanghai Pu Dong – Prague route. From 05APR16, the Skyteam member will be operating Airbus A330-200 aircraft on this route, with 3 weekly flights.

Planned schedule as follow.

MU707 PVG1230 – 1815PRG 332 246
MU708 PRG2015 – 1310+1PVG 332 246

China Eastern Adds Prague Service from April 2016 | Airline Route

China Eastern Resumes Wenzhou – Rome Service from late-Jan 2016 | Airline Route

                         

China Eastern starting late-January 2016 is resuming nonstop operation on Wenzhou – Rome service, on board Airbus A330-200 aircraft. The Skyteam member will be operating this route twice a week, starting 23JAN16.

MU789 WNZ0005 – 0630FCO 332 36
MU790 FCO1300 – 0730+1WNZ 332 36

China Eastern Resumes Wenzhou – Rome Service from late-Jan 2016 | Airline Route

China Eastern Jan/Feb 2016 Oceania Operation Changes | Airline Route

                                

China Eastern in January and February 2016 is adjusting operational aircraft for Shanghai Pu Dong – Sydney route, which sees Boeing 777-300ER operating on 12 of 14 weekly flights. The 777 is scheduled to operate from 15JAN16 to 19FEB16 (PVG departure).

MU561 PVG2020 – 1000+1SYD 332 37
MU561 PVG2020 – 1000+1SYD 77W x37
MU735 PVG2355 – 1335+1SYD 77W D

MU562 SYD1200 – 1920PVG 332 14
MU562 SYD1200 – 1920PVG 77W x14
MU736 SYD2130 – 0500+1PVG 77W D

Additionally, the Skyteam member from 29JAN16 to 21FEB16 will increase Shanghai Pu Dong – Auckland service from 7 to 11 weekly.

MU779 PVG0025 – 1815AKL 332 D
MU7061 PVG1600 – 1015+1AKL 332 x247

MU7062 AKL1200 – 2000PVG 332 x135
MU780 AKL2200 – 0555+1PVG 332 D

China Eastern Jan/Feb 2016 Oceania Operation Changes | Airline Route

China Eastern Boosts Planned Chicago Operation from March 2016 | Airline Route

                         

China Eastern has revised planned operational frequency on Shanghai Pu Dong – Chicago route, due to commence on 18MAR16. Previously scheduled to operate as 3 weekly flights, the Skyteam member now plans to operate this route on daily basis.

Reservation for the additional new flights are now available, on board Boeing 777-300ER.

MU717 PVG1140 – 1240ORD 77W D
MU718 ORD1500 – 1910+1PVG 77W D

China Eastern Boosts Planned Chicago Operation from March 2016 | Airline Route