China Eastern Airlines will suspend Hiroshima–Shanghai Pudong flights from October 25, 2026, removing Hiroshima Airport’s only active scheduled mainland China connection.
The airport’s published timetable marks the route suspended through January 31, 2027. No confirmed restart date appears in the supplied information.
The change removes a nonstop option for visitors, outbound travellers and passengers connecting through Shanghai. It also creates planning challenges for tourism businesses handling journeys between mainland China and Hiroshima.
However, the suspension does not end Hiroshima’s international operations. Other overseas destinations remain listed in the airport’s next published schedule.
October Timetable Sets the Suspension Boundary
Hiroshima Airport’s current timetable covers September 1 through October 24, 2026. China Eastern operates two weekly round trips during that period.
Flights run on Mondays and Fridays using a scheduled Airbus A321. Consequently, October 24 marks the timetable’s endpoint, rather than a regular departure day.
Under that operating pattern, Friday, October 23 would be the final regular service before the suspension begins.
That date follows from the published schedule. It does not represent a separate airline confirmation of the final flight.
Passengers travelling near the change should therefore check their individual reservations. Airport guidance also advises travellers to confirm schedules and aircraft details with their airline.
Existing Flights Connect Hiroshima With Shanghai Pudong
China Eastern flight MU294 departs Hiroshima at 13:30 on both operating days. Monday arrivals reach Shanghai Pudong at 14:55 local time.
Friday arrivals reach Pudong at 14:45. In the opposite direction, MU293 leaves Shanghai at 09:30 and arrives in Hiroshima at 12:30.
Shanghai’s local time runs one hour behind Japan. This difference affects how passengers interpret the displayed departure and arrival times.
The timetable represents two flights in each direction weekly. It therefore provides two round trips, rather than four separate return services.
For travellers, the suspension removes that established Monday-and-Friday pattern throughout the next published period.
Japan Airlines Codeshare Bookings Also Require Checks
The airport lists Japan Airlines codeshare numbers alongside China Eastern’s operating flights. Hiroshima departures also appear as JL5645, while Shanghai departures appear as JL5644.
These numbers identify the same services. They do not represent additional flights or separate Japan Airlines aircraft.
China Eastern supplies the aircraft and cabin crew for the underlying operation. Accordingly, passengers holding Japan Airlines flight numbers should also review their bookings.
The operating airline matters when identifying an affected journey. Travellers should check both the flight number displayed on their ticket and its operating carrier.
This is particularly relevant for passengers who may recognise their Japan Airlines booking but overlook the China Eastern suspension.
Mainland China Connectivity Faces a Clear Gap
Hiroshima Airport already lists Dalian and Beijing via Dalian as suspended. Those services remain suspended in the period beginning October 25.
With Shanghai also suspended, the airport’s listed mainland China network will have no operating scheduled service during that period.
For tourism, the immediate consequence concerns access. Travellers who previously selected a nonstop Hiroshima–Shanghai journey must reassess their arrangements.
Visitors with accommodation, transfers or activities tied to the affected flights may also need to revise those bookings.
Nevertheless, the supplied information does not quantify affected passengers, visitor spending or lost tourism demand. A measured decline cannot be established.
The confirmed development is a reduction in direct connectivity, with practical consequences for individual itineraries and travel planning.
Other International Destinations Remain Listed
Hiroshima’s next timetable continues to list Taipei, Hong Kong, Seoul, Cheongju and Hanoi.
Their inclusion demonstrates that the Shanghai suspension affects a specific part of the airport’s overseas network.
Individual departures still require confirmation with the relevant airline. A destination’s timetable listing does not guarantee every flight will operate unchanged.
Travellers considering alternatives should compare the complete journey, including airports, connection times, baggage arrangements and total travel duration.
The supplied material does not establish replacement flights or date-specific fares. It also provides no universal alternative for affected passengers.
Booking Decisions Need Airline Confirmation
Passengers with reservations should contact their airline or booking seller to establish their flight’s current status.
They should also review onward and return sectors, particularly when Shanghai Pudong forms part of a longer itinerary.
No route-specific refund, rebooking or compensation policy appears in the supplied information. Available arrangements therefore require confirmation for each ticket.
China Eastern’s reason for suspending the route also remains unestablished. Commercial, operational or political explanations should not be assumed.
Finally, January 31 marks the published schedule’s endpoint. It does not confirm that flights will resume on February 1.
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