China Eastern Airlines resumed nonstop service between Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) and Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN) in September 2026, reviving a route suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic after operating from 2018 to 2020. Aviation Week reported the opening on September 14, 2026. Flights operate three times per week, on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, using Airbus A330 equipment.
The route covers approximately 4,832 miles (7,776 kilometers) with an average flight time of around 9 hours 55 minutes, per FlightConnections. China Eastern is currently the only carrier operating nonstop between Stockholm Arlanda and Shanghai Pudong.
Coinciding with the resumption, cargo handler Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), a SATS company, signed a new three-year cargo handling contract with China Eastern at Arlanda. WFS previously served as the airline's ground handler in Sweden from 2018 until the pandemic-era suspension. China Eastern expects to carry more than 1,000 tonnes of cargo annually between the two cities, reflecting the route's strategic importance for Scandinavian–Asian trade and tourism, according to the WFS press release.
WFS operates two cargo terminals at Stockholm Arlanda covering over 18,000 square metres, including GDP-certified pharma handling facilities. The contract renewal underscores confidence in the route's long-term commercial viability.
Sources
- Aviation Week – Routes & Networks Rolling Daily Updates (W/C 14 September 2026)
- WFS – China Eastern Airlines Reunites With WFS in Sweden
- STAT Times – WFS Renews China Eastern Cargo Contract in Stockholm
Sources & references (4)
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