Tianjin Airlines flies non-stop between Auckland and Chongqing, Tianjin

Chinese carrier Tianjin Airlines has launched a non-stop service between Auckland and two major Chinese cities, Chongqing and Tianjin, the first flight from Auckland connecting these cities. The Auckland-Chongqing-Tianjin service operates three times a week using a 260-seat Airbus A330 aircraft. 

"This new service will add 83,000 seats to the China-Auckland route every year and deliver an estimated NZ$102 million boost to the New Zealand tourism industry," said Scott Tasker, Auckland Airport's Acting General Manager - Aeronautical-Commercial.

"This route strengthens Tianjin Airlines' foreign hub, which is playing a significant strategic role in our ongoing growth plans. This year alone we have launched more than 10 new international destinations, including London, Moscow, Osaka and Phuket. Tianjin Airlines' Auckland-Chongqing-Tianjin route will open a new pathway for New Zealand tourism, giving more New Zealanders the opportunity to enjoy the many attractions China has to offer," said Tianjin Airlines' Market Director Li Wenbin.

"This is an air bridge connecting the people of China and New Zealand. The friendship between the two countries will become closer through this route," said Luo Binhui, Consulate-General of The People's Republic of China in Auckland.

The flight will operate with two classes of service with 18 business class seats and 142 seats in economy class. All seats have a personal in-flight entertainment system which is available throughout the flight.

Flights are timed for connections through Tianjin Airlines' international network and with high-speed rail in China, making it easy for customers to transfer from Chongqing and Tianjin to other Chinese cities including Chengdu, Beijing and Shanghai.

The outbound flight is scheduled to depart from Auckland Airport every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 9:30pm, arriving at Chongqing at 5:45 the following morning (12.5 hours' flight time). After a three-hour layover, it will depart at 8:40am and arrive at Tianjin at 11:05am. The return flight departs from Tianjin at 8:10pm and arrives at Chongqing at 11pm After a three- hour layover, it will depart at 1am and arrive at Auckland at 6:30pm. (13.5 hours' flight time).

Interested?

Introductory fares on the route begin at about NZ$600 or RMB3,000 for a return ticket excluding tax. Travellers can buy tickets through local agencies in New Zealand.

Shangri-La opens 85th hotel in Tianjin, China

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has opened its 85th hotel in Tianjin, China's largest northern port city and home to nearly 300 Fortune 500 companies. The city, 30 minutes away by high speed rail from Beijing, has become a centre for light industry and financial activities. 

Floor-to-ceiling windows in the Lobby Lounge showcase the view. The grand lobby chandelier is designed to mimic sunlight reflecting on water, while the flow of the river is mirrored in the carpet motif of water lilies on a cerulean blue waterway. The Lobby Lounge is separated from the main lobby by dividers inlaid with muted gold flowers cascading from the trees to echo wind-blown leaves and flowers falling into the river.

Paris-based artist Chen Jiang Hong returned to his home city of Tianjin to paint a 4.5 by 2.5-metre mural for the Lobby Lounge. Other works by Chen are featured in Shangri-La Hotel, Paris and Pudong Shangri-La, East Shanghai.

The 302-room Shangri-La Hotel Tianjin sits on the bank of the Haihe River in the new Hedong District, five minutes from the city's central business district and 10 minutes from Tianjin Railway Station. The hotel is fully integrated within Tianjin Kerry Centre and is the only five-star international hotel in the city connected to a shopping mall, River View Place, which houses multiple dining and entertainment venues. 

Business meetings can be held at Shangri-La's signature Shang Palace restaurant, which serves local specialties and authentic Cantonese cuisine. Over 70 paintings by local artists adorn the corridors and walls, and copper pillars and wooden panels separate the main dining hall to create intimate sections for privacy. The restaurant also offers 12 private dining rooms for business meetings.

Cafe Yun, Shangri-La Hotel, Tianjin's all-day dining restaurant, features six theatre kitchens laid out in marketplace-style. A private dining room is available year-round while an outdoor patio is open for booking during the warmer months.

The Grand Ballroom.

Accommodating conferences of up to 1,800 people, Shangri-La Hotel, Tianjin's 1,965 sq m pillar-less Grand Ballroom is the newest and largest meeting destination in the city. The Grand Ballroom is designed to echo a garden pavilion. A range of indoor and outdoor venues are also available for smaller meetings. Shangri-La's complimentary Wi-Fi service is available throughout the hotel. 

For reservations, please visit www.shangri-la.com, contact the hotel directly on +86 22 8418 8666 or email reservations.sltj@shangri-la.com.

Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts currently owns and/or manages more than 80 hotels under the Shangri-La brand with a room inventory of over 34,000. The group has upcoming projects in mainland China, India, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Qatar, Sri Lanka and the UAE. 

*Images from Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts.