Several newspapers today wrongly claimed that the Chinese carrier Hainan Airlines has cut down by half the frequency of its flights between Brussels and Beijing. During the summer Hainan carries out four flights a week on this route, during the winter season the frequency is reduced to three weekly flights. Next summer season the frequency will again be increased to four flights a week. There have been no changes to this agreement.
The winter season runs from end October to end March: flight schedules are adjusted twice a year, on the same day on which we go on to summer time or winter time. During part of the winter season (from 15 December to 24 March) Hainan reduces its flight offer from four to three flights a week.

The Brussels - Beijing route, which is very important to Brussels Airport and to the entire Belgian economy is a big success with travellers. The seat occupancy of these flights is already over 70 % and the Chinese company is very happy with its decision to include Brussels in its network. For Belgian code-share partner SN Brussels Airlines too Beijing is a major asset. Geert Sciot, Vice President Communications with SN Brussels Airlines, adds: "Beijing is a very popular destination, both for business and leisure passengers. The fact that this is a non-stop flight is an important incentive for travellers on either end, for the growing business traffic between our country and the Chinese economy, as well as for leisure travellers who whish to learn about the new China during their holidays. The flight schedules for the Beijing - Brussels route have been perfectly geared to the connecting flights on our European and African networks".

A number of additional long-haul services will be operated from Brussels Airport as from the next summer season. The American carrier Northwest Airlines plans daily flights to Detroit as of May 2007. Starting next summer the prestigious Indian carrier Jet Airways will operate a daily flight from Brussels to Mumbai (Bombay) as well as from Brussels to New York. This means that the existing offer of daily flights to the USA will increase from six to eight. With the daily flight to India and the four-weekly service to Beijing the two main centres of economic growth in the world are directly connected to Brussels Airport.