Air China will launch a passenger service connecting Beijing with Bucharest, Romania, and Zagreb, Croatia, on Sept. 4, the airline said Tuesday. The new route will operate from Beijing Capital International Airport every Monday, Wednesday and Friday under flight numbers CA913 and CA914, linking Zagreb via Bucharest. The new service will expand the carrier’s network in the Central and Eastern European aviation market and significantly shorten the time and space distance between China and the CEE hinterland.

Air China continues to optimize its network layout and increase capacity input in the China-Europe market, according to a person in charge at the airline. The carrier currently serves 27 destinations in Europe and operates nearly 260 flights between China and Europe each week.