Oneworld alliance founding member British Airways (BA) has resumed daily services between London’s Heathrow and Shanghai Pudong Airport (PVG).
The airline confirms to Business Traveller Asia-Pacific that its Pudong flights will be operated by four-class Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.
These feature eight first class suites, 42 Club World business class seats, 39 premium economy and 127 standard economy class seats.
First is configured 1-2-1; business 2-3-2; premium economy is also 2-3-2; and economy class is laid out in a 3-3-3 configuration.
Separately, following a near three-year hiatus, British Airways will return to the Chinese capital Beijing from June 3.
The airline says it will initially operate to Beijing four times a week.
The Beijing flights will now go to Daxing International Airport; they used to operate to Capital Airport.
This route will see British Airways deploy a refreshed three-class 777-200ER aircraft.
This aircraft will feature 48 1-2-1 configured Club Suites; 40 premium economy recliners in a 2-4-2 layout and 184 standard economy class seats in a condensed 3-4-3 configuration.
The British flag carrier used to also operate a route between Heathrow and Chengdu in China’s Sichuan Province. There are currently no plans to resume this service.
Across the border in neighbouring Hong Kong, however, British Airways has restored its pre-pandemic capacity with now two daily roundtrips split between 787-9 aircraft and its new flagship A350-1000 widebodies.
For Club passengers the A350-1000 is far preferable for it offers 1-2-1 seating with individual doors vis-a-vis the much less private older-generation 2-3-2 configuration in business class on the 787-9.
There is, however, no first class option on the BA A350-1000 aircraft.
