[ Routes ] By Albert Kuan

Norway to Get its First Nonstop Link to China

Norway will soon have its own non-stop link to China once Hainan Airlines begins service between Oslo and Beijing. Hainan Airlines will be launching the service on May 15, making this the very first nonstop route between Norway and mainland China and the first non-stop Nordic service for the airline.

The new service will operate three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and will be serviced by an Airbus A330-300 aircraft with 32 business class seats and 262 economy class seats. Business class is equipped with lie-flat seats in a 2x2x2 layout and passengers will be served both Chinese and Western menu options.

There is no Wi-Fi available on most of Hainan Airlines’ A330s, however, travelers will be able to peruse the airline’s on-demand entertainment system or use their own portable electronic device.

The Hainan Airlines flight from Beijing, HU 769, departs at 1:30 a.m and arrives in Oslo at 5:30 a.m. the same day. The return flight, HU 770, leaves Oslo Airport at 2:30 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays (1:55 p.m. on Fridays) and arrives back in Beijing the next day at 5:30 a.m (5:00 a.m. on Fridays).

Jichun Liu, Vice President of Hainan Airlines believes the new flight has the ability to enhance ties between the government and people of China and Norway. “This new route will certainly intensify the communications between the two countries, stimulating the development of prosperous economic ties for China and Norway, as well as the Nordic region,” Liu said at a press conference for the new flight in Beijing.

With the new Oslo service, Hainan Airlines now operates 21 routes to Europe with destinations in Berlin, London, Paris, Rome, Brussels, Edinburgh, Zurich, Vienna, Manchester, Madrid and Moscow. The airline is based in Haikou Airport on China’s Hainan Island, however, most international routes to North America and Europe operate from Beijing Capital International Airport and some smaller cities such as Xi’an.