Hainan Airlines will launch a new direct route from Chengdu Tianfu International Airport to Vienna starting December 1, marking the first nonstop connection between the cities and the airline’s second route to Vienna, following its Shenzhen-Vienna service. This expansion is supported by Vienna Airport, emphasizing the route’s potential to bolster tourism and economic exchange between Europe and Asia. The new service comes as Austrian authorities recently blocked China Eastern Airlines from launching a Shanghai-Vienna route due to perceived competitive advantages related to Russian airspace access. Amid growing competition from Chinese carriers and restricted airspace access, several European airlines, including Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, and Lufthansa, have suspended or reduced services to China. This competitive landscape has intensified as Chinese airlines like China Eastern and China Southern continue expanding routes across Europe.