Summary Juneyao Airlines will launch flights between Shanghai and Melbourne starting December 19, 2024. Melbourne Airport's flexible 24/7 schedule attracts global airlines with new investment projects like baggage handling upgrades. CEO Lorrie Argus advocates for more air rights for international carriers to meet demand and welcomes Juneyao to Melbourne.
The extended travel restrictions in China put a handbrake on Australia's aviation post-pandemic recovery, and until those restrictions were removed entirely, international travel could not fully recover to 2019 levels. While navigating through the gradual loosening of restrictions, Melbourne Airport also worked closely with the major Chinese carriers to plan their return. The new airline at MEL On Monday, Melbourne Airport (MEL) announced that Juneyao Airlines, one of China's leading privately owned carriers, will launch flights between Shanghai and Melbourne.
Juneyao Airlines (Juneyao) currently operates to around 200 destinations in Asia and Europe, with a fleet of 92 aircraft, including Airbus A320 Family and Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner jets. Commencing on December 19, 2024, Juneyao will operate a base schedule of three weekly flights, increasing to a peak-season daily service in January and February. This is a significant success for Melbourne Airport as it marks the first time Juneyao has flown to Australia, and these new flights will push the airport's mainland Chinese seat capacity above pre-pandemic levels.
Melbourne Airport has added more connections to and from China, as it steadily goes about a 100% recovery to pre-pandemic levels. Melbourne Airport is a 24/7 curfew-free airport, and that flexibility is a competitive advantage when airlines look to establish services in Australia. Juneyao will join a list of global world-class airlines, including Emirates, Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines , that chose Melbourne as their launch destination for Australian flights.
Growing for the future Melbourne Airport CEO Lorrie Argus has steered the airport through various upgrades and new developments, as well as calling for a more liberalized approach to air rights so that international carriers gain access to meet growing demand. Argus said the arrival of Juneyao Airlines underscored the need for ongoing investment in the international terminal and new airfield infrastructure. "Melbourne Airport will now be served by more international carriers than ever before, and with the average daily international flight worth AU$154 million ($102m) to the Victorian economy, it highlights the need for our investment in projects such as the international terminal upgrades and three billion dollar third runway.
" Melbourne Airport is investing more than AU$500 million ($330m) to upgrade its international baggage handling system in Terminal 2. The project is replacing traditional baggage belts with a new, state-of-the-art tote-based system, allowing for real-time bag tracking and paving the way for an eventual introduction of anytime check-in. More than AU$50 million ($33m) worth of baggage conveyor systems have arrived, and those improvements coincide with a large upgrade of the main domestic terminal and the planning for the third runway.
Argus said that Juneyao's choice of Melbourne was an incredible vote of confidence in Victoria and that the airline's "quality service and extra cargo capacity will help further strengthen ties with China." Juneyao will operate its flagship Boeing 787-9 widebody on the route from Shanghai to Melbourne, which is configured in a two-class layout of 324 seats. Juneyao has eight 787s that offer 29 lie-flat business class seats with direct aisle access and 295 economy seats, with an average aircraft age of just five years.
The airline also has 84 Airbus A320 Family narrowbodies, including 30 A320-200s, 16 A320neos, 26 A321-200s and 12 A321neos..
