China Eastern Airlines has opened a branch in Chengdu, Sichuan province, its 13th across the country. The Shanghai-based airline will start offering express service between Chengdu and Shanghai later this year.

China Eastern plans to invest a total of Rmb5bn in the construction of its Chengdu base, of which Rmb2bn will be spent on phase one. By 2015, the airline will have 30 aircraft operating out of Chengdu.