Air China Resumes Beijing-Pyongyang Flights After 6 Years

Air China resumed direct passenger flights between Beijing and Pyongyang on Monday, restoring a key transportation link between China and North Korea after a six-year suspension prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The inaugural flight, designated CA121, departed Beijing Capital International Airport at approximately 8 a.m. local time aboard a Boeing 737-700 and arrived at Pyongyang's Sunan International Airport around 10:40 a.m., according to flight tracking data. The return flight departed Pyongyang shortly after noon, with the route scheduled to operate weekly on Mondays. Chinese Ambassador to North Korea Wang Yajun welcomed arriving passengers, describing the resumption as a landmark event in aviation cooperation between the two nations. "This will serve as a bridge to further strengthen friendly exchanges and people-to-people ties, and inject new momentum into bilateral travel, economic cooperation and cultural exchanges," Wang said in a statement from the Chinese embassy.

The move follows the recent restoration of passenger train services between the capitals on March 12, the first such service since early 2020. North Korea had sealed its borders during the pandemic, halting...