China Eastern Airlines, a leading civil airline company based in Shanghai, announced last week that it will start flights to Frankfurt, Germany, on June 30.

Employing A340-600s, the upcoming international flight services will be available every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The airline plans to open 20-plus routes in the 2006 summer-autumn travel season, increasing its flights by 15 percent during the period.

China Eastern Airlines has become the first partner of the Shanghai World Expo.

The partnership authorizes the company to provide funding and passenger flight services for the 2010 Shanghai World Expo.

One of the three largest state-owned aviation groups, China Eastern is listed in Hong Kong, New York and Shanghai. It operates more than 400 international and domestic routes.