Sichuan Airlines connects Athens with Chengdu - Kefalogianni: cultural and economic bridge between Athens and Chengdu

Sichuan Airlines has launched direct flights from Athens International Airport (AIA) to Chengdu via Istanbul, four times a week. This new connection marks the further strengthening of bilateral relations between Greece and China in the field of tourism and economy.
"We share common values with China and there is a growing wave of Chinese tourists to Greece. The new connection will constitute a cultural and economic bridge between Athens and Chengdu," pointed out Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni, during a relevant event at AIA.
"It constitutes a cultural and economic bridge between East and West. Sichuan Airlines' choice to invest in this connection reflects its confidence in Greece as a dynamic, safe and authentic tourist destination. This new flight reflects the trust that Greece inspires as a modern and hospitable destination, respectful of its history and open to the future."
The Tourism minister also emphasised that the goal of Greece's national tourism policy is to enhance the authentic experience of the visitor, upgrade infrastructure and shape a tourism model that strengthens the connection with the culture, the place and its people.
On his part, Yiannis Paraschis, CEO of Athens International Airport (AIA), emphasised that the new connection is another example of the importance of the Chinese market in Greece. "After the coronavirus pandemic, we have the highest number of connections with China, serving a total of 12 weekly routes, four to and from Beijing, four to and from Shanghai and four to and from Chengdu. Back in 2019 we only had three weekly connections," he said, adding: "We are here to support airlines with incentives, especially when it comes to long-haul markets of great importance," he said.
The Chinese ambassador, Fang Qiu, referred to the ties that have "long connected Greece with China," and described the launch of the airline's direct flights as a milestone for Greek-Chinese cooperation in tourism, economy and culture. He also said that, since the pre-pandemic period, in 2019, the increase in Chinese tourists in the country in 2024 is 30%.
Sichuan Airlines was founded in 2002 and serves over 34 million passengers annually. Chengdu has a population of over 22 million residents, while there is a visa centre operated by the consulate of the Greek embassy in Beijing, which makes the city and the wider Sichuan province, with a population of 90 million, particularly important for inbound tourism from China.
Air China, one of the largest air carriers in Asia, also flies to China from Eleftherios Venizelos and has increased its flights on the Athens-Beijing route from three to four each week this summer, while Juneyao Air, which launched the Athens-Shanghai connection last year, is also increasing its flights from three to four per week this year.
The Athens-Chengdu connection will last 12 hours and 45 minutes, with a two-hour stopover in Istanbul.