Chinese airlines to launch five new routes to UK
Chinese airline group HNA has applied for five new routes to the UK, VisitBritain confirmed today.
It has applied to the Civil Aviation Administration of China for flights from Changsha, Chengdu, Qingdao, Shenzhen and Xi’an, home of the Terracotta Warriors.
The routes would be served by HNA’s three airlines, Hainan, Tianjin and Capital.
HNA’s application follows the raising of a cap on flights between the UK and China from 40 a week to 100, and the creation of a strategic partnership with VisitBritain.
President of Hainan Airlines, Jianfeng Sun, said: "Hainan Airlines will make full use of the opportunities created by the Air Service
Agreement to further explore and develop the British market together with VisitBritain.
"Currently, we have applied for direct routes to London from Chengdu, Changsha and Shenzhen. The three routes planned by Hainan Airlines, combined with Tianjin Airlines’ planned Tianjin-Xi’an-London route and Capital Airlines’ planned Qingdao-London route, means HNA Group aims to open a total of five routes to Britain within the next year.
"This is undoubtedly an important milestone in strategic cooperation for both sides and is the beginning of a brand new phase in the Sino-British tourism industry and airway development."
HNA Group is the only Chinese airline operator to have a partnership with VisitBritain, which is leading a UK delegation to China with week.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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