Hainan Airlines will operate daily flights from Manchester airport to Beijing next summer.
The direct service linking Manchester and China’s capital currently runs four times weekly, but will increase to daily from June to September 2024.
The flights will be operated by two-class Airbus A330 aircraft, departing at 1215 each day, with tickets already on sale.
The airline’s partnership with Loganair also means that passengers can book tickets from Aberdeen, Inverness, the Isle of Man and Newquay to Beijing with an airside transfer at Manchester.
Manchester became the first UK hub outside of London to gain a direct flight to mainland China when Hainan Airlines launched its service to Beijing in 2016. The route was suspended during the pandemic but relaunched in August 2022.
A report issued in 2018 showed that flights had almost doubled the amount of money spent in the North by Chinese tourists and had also increased the number of Chinese students at the region’s universities by around nine per cent – more than double the national average.
Chris Woodrofe, managing director of Manchester airport, commented:
“Hainan Airlines’ decision to operate a daily Beijing flight from Manchester is testament to the success of the current service. More than 350,000 passengers have used it since it was first launched seven years ago.
“We know the route is also extremely popular with Chinese visitors. We are a gateway to some of the most vibrant cities and beautiful countryside the UK has to offer, and the daily service is fantastic news for tourism, businesses, and Universities across our region – as well as for Manchester’s Chinese community.”
Peter Han, general manager of Hainan Airlines UK, added:
“We are thrilled to be almost doubling capacity on our Manchester to Beijing service next summer with a daily flight. There is a lot of demand for travel between the North of England and China, in both directions. This expansion of our service will allow us to meet demand over the busy summer season and marks an exciting new chapter for our operation at Manchester airport.”
Rhys Whalley, executive director of the Manchester China Forum – an organisation for driving forward the Greater Manchester-China relationship – also commented:
“We’re delighted to see Hainan increasing connectivity with Beijing, which will provide a welcome boost to businesses, students, visitors as well as residents on both sides looking to resume normal travel post pandemic.
“The world’s second largest economy is a leading source for trade and investment into the region – total trade amounted to £108.7 billion in four quarters to the end of quarter two, 2023. Hainan Airlines’ decision to increase frequencies signals the importance of the route as well as the confidence they have in the outlook for post pandemic two-way movement.”
This news comes after Manchester airport reached an important milestone, with its passenger numbers overtaking pre-pandemic levels for the first time in October.
For more information on Manchester’s business scene and connectivity, see our recent feature:
