by sama093 (Creative Commons)
According to an airport press release this afternoon, charter flights between Shanghai and Pittsburgh will begin August 3, pending government approval.
China Eastern Airlines will conduct nonstop seasonal charter services connecting Pittsburgh and Shanghai, China commencing on August 3, the region’s first nonstop air link with China.
The flights, pending government approval, are part of a partnership agreement with Pittsburgh International Airport, VisitPITTSBURGH, and Idea Foundry. Pittsburgh will be the arriving and departing gateway for hundreds of Chinese tourists who will visit the U.S. East Coast this summer.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for our region to become the first medium-size city in the country as a destination for Chinese tourists,” Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said. “Our region’s businesses, the airport, and our tourism industry will be the primary beneficiary of this agreement.”