Air France-KLM has signed a new agreement with China Eastern Airlines which now includes KLM as part of the existing joint venture between Air France and the Chinese airline.

The agreement, signed on 1st July, enables the Air France-KLM group and China Eastern Airlines to strengthen the entire network connecting Europe to China. It also optimizes capacity on the Amsterdam-Shanghai route, in addition to the agreements on the Paris-Shanghai route.

With this new joint venture, Air France-KLM and the Chinese airline have agreed to consolidate their alliance and optimize routes to Shanghai. By extending the joint venture to KLM, the group is also seeking to enhance the attractiveness of its two connecting hubs at Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam-Schiphol.

Air France and China Eastern Airlines signed a partnership and the first code-shares in 2000. In 2010, the Chinese airline also joined Air France-KLM in the SkyTeam alliance and in 2012 joined Air France in a major joint venture optimizing the entire network between Paris-Charles de Gaulle and China.

Air France has been present in mainland China since 1966 and in September will celebrate 50 years of service between France and the People’s Republic of China.