China Eastern Airlines inaugurated thrice-weekly service between Shanghai Pudong and Tbilisi on 16 July, landing its A330 in the Georgian capital to water-cannon salutes and speeches by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and China’s ambassador. It is the first direct link between mainland China and Georgia, trimming travel time by five hours and eliminating transfers through Istanbul or Doha. The carrier will operate the route on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, departing Pudong at 19:20 and arriving in Tbilisi at 01:10 local time; the return leg leaves at 03:10, reaching Shanghai at 15:00. The schedule is tailored to connect with China Eastern’s domestic bank, enabling same-day onward flights to 40 Chinese cities. For Chinese engineering firms bidding on Black Sea port projects and agritech investors eyeing Georgian wine country, the nonstop cuts both cost and visa-run complexity. Georgia grants Chinese nationals 30-day visa-free entry, while Chinese business travellers previously had to cobble together multi-stop itineraries via the Gulf. Cargo forwarders also expect upside: outbound holds can carry high-value electronics into the South Caucasus, while return volumes of Georgian wine, nuts and mineral water feed Shanghai’s F&B supply chains. The Civil Aviation Authority of Georgia projects annual two-way traffic of 50,000 passengers once the service ramps up to daily frequency.
Source: Xinhua / Aviation A2Z
