The conflict in Ukraine has impacted European airlines’ flight routes to the Far East, resulting in higher operating costs and rendering them economically unsustainable. Consequently, the airlines have deemed it necessary to suspend their services.
Polish Airlines LOT
LOT Polish Airlines has suspended its flights between Warsaw and Beijing-Capital for this winter season. As a result, Air China is now the only airline offering flights between Poland and China. Previously, LOT operated three weekly flights using Boeing 787 aircraft to connect the two capital cities. Russian airspace restrictions and competition from Chinese airlines impacted the decision to suspend this service. Despite this change, LOT still offers flights to the Far East, with services to Tokyo-Narita and Seoul-Incheon.
Scandinavian Airlines SAS
SAS will suspend its flight routes to China and stop operating between Copenhagen and Shanghai-Pudong on Airbus A350 from November 7, 2024. In recent years, the airline has reduced its services to Greater China. In 2019, it suspended flights to Hong Kong, and in 2020, it suspended flights to Beijing-Capital.
The airline states that the decision is due to “market conditions.” Passengers affected by this change will be accommodated on flights operated by SAS partners Air France-KLM through their Amsterdam and Paris-Charles de Gaulle hubs. Following the cessation of SAS operations in Shanghai, Air China will be the only airline offering flights between Denmark and China.
European Airlines Continue to Cut Flight Routes to China
Several other European airlines have made changes to their routes to China: Lufthansa has suspended the Frankfurt-Beijing route, leaving only the connection between Munich and Beijing; Virgin Atlantic has ceased its operations between London-Heathrow and Shanghai-Pudong; and British Airways has suspended the non-stop connection between London-Heathrow and Beijing Daxing.
Air Serbia Goes Against the Stream
On the other hand, Air Serbia has announced that it will begin offering direct flights between Belgrade and Shanghai in the People’s Republic of China starting January 11, 2025. The airline will operate these flights twice a week during the upcoming winter season, with service continuing into the summer beginning on March 30, 2025.
The introduction of flights to Shanghai will allow Air Serbia to provide passengers with convenient connections from eastern China via Belgrade to cities such as Budapest, Vienna, Prague, Ljubljana, Milan, Rome, Frankfurt, Paris, Berlin, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Podgorica, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Krakow, Oslo, Bologna, Venice, Zurich, and other cities in its network.
