The air route linking Beijing and Sao Paulo run by Air China is planned to have a further flight each week before the end of the year, the air carrier's spokesman in Brazil Alex Tseng said.

The route, which is currently run twice weekly, departs on Thursdays and Sundays and has been running since December 2006 and has had a passenger occupancy rate of 85 percent.

The third weekly flight, according to Tseng, is expected to be launched by the end of the year based on increased demand due to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Tseng added that the flights had been in high demand by Chinese residents in Brazil and some of the seats were taken up by people flying to Madrid, the city where the flight has a 90-minute stop.

The flight from Sao Paulo to Beijing takes 23 hours and offers both Economy and Business Class.