China’s Hainan Airlines has reportedly applied to fly from Beijing to Heathrow and Manchester from next summer.
The carrier wants to operate the London route from June on a daily basis using an Airbus A330-200. It plans to use the same aircraft type to Manchester, operating four times a week from May. Hainan Airlines is China’s largest privately-owned carrier and the country’s fourth biggest overall. Its base is on the tropical island of Hainan, but its major hub is Beijing.
According to The Centre for Aviation, the odds are stacked against a Heathrow service, due to slot issues. Moreover, there may well be further difficulties in securing the rights to compete against Air China and the other incumbent, British Airways. At Manchester, Hainan would be up against the connections offered by Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific, which resumes Hong Kong flights from December 8.
A Manchester Airport spokesperson said: “We continue to discuss and progress the commercial case for airlines to connect Manchester to key strategic markets, including Beijing.”
UK airports are very keen to attract more services from China, particularly following the recent relaxation of tourist visa restrictions. This summer, China Southern operated some charter flights to Birmingham, which had limited seat availability from the UK.
Gary Noakes
