At 2:19 AM on December 4th, China Eastern Airlines' National Museum - themed aircraft took off from Shanghai Pudong International Airport with 282 passengers, heading to Buenos Aires via Auckland - marking the official launch of the new Shanghai - Auckland - Buenos Aires route.
Stretching 20,000 kilometers, the route fills the gap between Shanghai and major South American cities. Operated by Boeing 777 - 300ERs, it runs outbound on Mondays/Thursdays and inbound on Tuesdays/Fridays, cutting travel time from nearly 30 hours (via Europe/North America) to around 25 hours with better time zone benefits.
The specially designed aircraft features six cultural relic designs. A replica of the "Peace Under Heaven" Zun accompanies the flight, while the inaugural ceremony blended Argentine elements and the Zootopia 2 IP. Passengers received cultural souvenirs, with business/first - class travelers getting Empress Xiaoduan's phoenix crown fridge magnets. In - flight highlights include "Tango Spark" drinks and Argentine specialties like red shrimp.