Fascinating: China Southern Set To Serve Juba, South Sudan 🇸🇸

Intro

Okay, whoa, this is probably one of the last routes I have ever expected to see launch. However, early yesterday, I was browsing around on flightconnections and came across one of the most interesting routes around at the moment. With South Sudan having a very special place in my heart (what an incredible visit it was), I figured I would write about it and the geopolitics behind this route.

The Details

Beginning December 4th, China Southern is set to operate 6 rotations from Zhengzhou (CGO), China, to Juba, South Sudan. The flights are set to depart from CGO on December 4th, 11th (2x), 17th, and 18th (2x), and will make the 8985km run all the way over to Juba.

The aircraft in question being utilized here will be a 787-9, and will be the first widebody we have seen in Juba for a very long time. Now this is important because for those who know Juba, it's a short runway with limited ATC, and extremely hot temperatures.

I love South Sudan to bits, but the ATC situation is hilarious. People are literally standing outside the tower with binoculars looking for a plane 😂. Genuinely comical, in a good way.

Thus, for the return, a widebody cannot take off with the fuel required to make it back to CGO, and the return will therefore stop in Dubai (DWC). To make things more interesting, there is a ground time of roughly 3.5 hours, which is far too long for an ordinary technical stop.

Finally, these flights are not on sale to the general public, but for some odd reason, they have been loaded into the schedule.

Why These Flights Are Operating

Okay, I am not going to be a traditional travel blogger and give you a diplomatic answer, because we know the primary reason for these flights. South Sudan is currently against the USA in terms of aid and trade, to the point where people would actively speak out when I was there against the States. And honestly, I don't blame them with this tied aid on the table. It's a humanitarian crisis, and the US is simply trying to profit off the medicinal companies.

Anyways, what this means for South Sudan is that they see China as a trading partner, and vice versa. China has long struck a good bargain in many regions in Africa, which, partially off topic again, is what drives the world.

But back to these flights, and how does any of this affect South Sudan? It's a good question, and I would have to imagine that these are either rotations for Chinese businessmen in South Sudan or that there is a large shipment coming into South Sudan from China. Additionally, and yes, I am speculating, this could have something to do with aid, as that would fit the bill for a scheduled flight.

Nonetheless, all of this is quite fascinating, and if you have any ideas as to why this might be happening, I would love to know!

Final Thoughts

China Southern is set to begin serving Juba, South Sudan, for a total of 7 flights in December. Utilizing a 787, this will be the first time we have seen a widebody in South Sudan for a very long time, and due to the operating limitations in Juba, the return flights will stop off in Dubai. One has to wonder what the reasons are behind these flights, and I would love to find out if anyone knows.