Direct passenger flights between Qingdao and Vancouver are set to resume on Oct 2, restoring an important air link between Shandong province and North America, according to Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport.

The Hangzhou-Qingdao-Vancouver route, operated by Beijing Capital Airlines, will run once a week on Fridays using an Airbus A330 wide-body aircraft. Tickets are now on sale through major booking platforms.

The service is one of several China-Canada routes being restored following Canada's announcement in April that it would substantially increase direct-flight capacity between the two countries. After this takes place, it will be the only direct passenger route connecting Shandong with North America.

Qingdao has continued to expand its domestic and international air network this year. The airport currently operates 29 international and regional passenger routes, strengthening connections with Northeast Asia and other overseas destinations.

The broader network, together with visa facilitation and streamlined border-clearance procedures, has contributed to steady growth in international passenger traffic.

From January to July, Qingdao airport handled 2.1 million international and regional passengers, up 12 percent year-on-year. The figure ranked 10th among airports in China by that metric during this period.