From January 2025, Shanghai Airlines, a subsidiary of China Eastern Airlines, will launch a new route between Shanghai, Marseille and Casablanca. The service is part of efforts to meet growing travel demand between China and Africa and to strengthen economic and cultural ties. The route will operate three times a week: Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Flight FM871 will depart Shanghai at 01:55 and arrive in Marseille at 08:00. From there, it will continue to Casablanca at 10:00, landing at 13:10. The return flights will follow a similar schedule, with the long-haul legs being operated on a modern Boeing 787-9, which can carry up to 285 passengers in a four-class configuration. Strategic importance of the route The launch of the new service underscores China's growing economic presence in North Africa. Morocco plays a key role as a gateway to Africa and benefits from China's increased investment in infrastructure, energy and technology. Chinese tourists have been able to travel to Morocco without a visa since 2016, making the country a preferred destination. The additional connection will further promote tourism while strengthening trade relations between the two countries. Morocco aims to become a major logistics and trade hub through its "Industry Acceleration Plan 2021-2025" and the new flights could contribute to this goal. European stopover and regional impact The stopover in Marseille is a first and opens up a three-way trade axis between Europe, Africa and Asia. This not only offers new opportunities for the exchange of goods and services, but also strengthens cultural and economic ties between the regions.

Russia's largest airline, Aeroflot, plans to purchase five used Boeing 737-800BCF cargo aircraft to ensure the supply of spare parts for its existing fleet. This decision marks another pragmatic step by the airline amid the challenges posed by the ongoing international sanctions against Russia. The purchase of the aircraft, which were originally operated by Volga-Dnepr subsidiary Atran Airlines, is intended to ensure the functionality of the Aeroflot fleet and in particular the 737 aircraft of its subsidiary Pobeda Airlines. Spare parts instead of flight operations The planned transactions are not aimed at returning the five cargo aircraft to passenger or cargo transport. Instead, the aircraft are intended to serve as a source of spare parts to ensure the maintenance and servicing of Pobeda Airlines' existing 42 Boeing 737-800s. These aircraft play a central role in Aeroflot's domestic flight network and on international routes to destinations such as Turkey and Dubai. Aeroflot is thus pursuing a strategy that has been established since the beginning of the sanctions following the Ukraine conflict in 2022: resorting to used aircraft and dismantling older models in order to maintain the operation of Western aircraft such as Boeing and Airbus. Background to the deal The five Boeing 737-800BCF aircraft in question are currently registered in Bermuda, but their airworthiness certificates were revoked as a result of the sanctions. The aircraft, which were originally passenger aircraft, were later converted to cargo aircraft and used by the Volga-Dnepr Group. Due to lease terminations and transfers to insurance companies, the rights to these aircraft currently lie with insurers with whom Aeroflot has entered into negotiations. According to Russian media reports and expert opinions, Aeroflot has a better chance of reaching a purchase agreement than Atran Airlines, as this subsidiary