Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi staged a traditional water-salute ceremony late Thursday to welcome Xiamen Airlines’ first direct flight from Beijing Daxing. The new route will run four times per week using Boeing 737-800 aircraft and complements the carrier’s existing Hanoi–Fuzhou link, creating a dual-hub network that connects northern Vietnam with both north-eastern and south-eastern China. For Chinese manufacturers shifting components to Vietnamese final-assembly plants—as well as Vietnamese tech firms sourcing parts from Beijing’s semiconductor belt—the non-stop cuts travel time to under four hours and eliminates an often-unpredictable transfer in Guangzhou. Vietnam’s Ministry of Planning and Investment notes that Chinese FDI pledges in the Hanoi region jumped 34 % in H1 2026; easier executive shuttles are expected to accelerate site-selection visits ahead of Golden Week. The route also supports China’s visa-free policy for Vietnamese tourists that remains in force until 31 December 2026, and Vietnam’s e-visa scheme that grants 90-day multiple entries to Chinese nationals. HR teams managing rotational assignees should, however, remind travellers that China requires accommodation registration within 24 hours of arrival—even under visa-waiver entry. Xiamen Airlines projects a 78 % load factor for the first quarter and is offering a 20 kg complimentary checked-bag allowance aimed at SME traders. Cargo sales have opened for high-value, time-sensitive items such as fashion samples and smartphone components; the airline’s freight arm will connect onward to Osaka and Los Angeles via Beijing. Aviation analysts view the launch as part of a broader post-pandemic push by Chinese carriers to diversify ASEAN capacity beyond the saturated Guangzhou–Ho Chi Minh and Shenzhen–Bangkok corridors. If demand holds, Xiamen Airlines plans to introduce early-morning departures attractive to same-day business trips and may up-gauge to the 737 MAX 10 in 2027.
Source: Xe.Today
