Direct flights between China, Spain rebound to 60 pct of pre-pandemic levels

STORY: Direct flights between China, Spain rebound to 60 pct of pre-pandemic levels DATELINE: Aug. 1, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:27 LOCATION: BARCELONA, Spain CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Chinese planes taking off and landing at Madrid and Barcelona airports 2. various of passengers 3. various of Chinese tourists (file) STORYLINE: Chinese airlines are leading the way in restoring direct flights between China and Spain, with 60 precent of the pre-pandemic connections between the two countries already restored, according to the Spanish Tourism Institute (Turespana). There are 16 weekly flights to Madrid and Barcelona from Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Chongqing, says Turespana. The Director General of Turespana Miguel Sanz said they hope to further close the gap next year. Before the pandemic, there used to be 30 direct flights every week between China and Spain, a number that fell to merely three in 2022. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Barcelona, Spain. (XHTV)