Chinese carrier heads to ‘Shakespeare’s airport’

BIRMINGHAM Airport’s goal of attracting a carrier to operate scheduled flights between the city and China appears to have moved a step closer.

A partnership between the airport, Hainan Airlines and Chinese tour operator Caissa Touristic will see the launch of a series of 17 return Beijing-Birmingham charter flights this summer, carrying nearly 4,000 Chinese tourists into the UK on package tours.

Birmingham Airport has also unveiled its new Chinese branding – ‘Birmingham Airport, Shakespeare’s Airport’.

It will be used in China to promote Birmingham as a gateway into the region.   

The agreement with Hainan Airlines – which it has been said could create £19m for the Birmingham and wider West Midlands economy – forms part of a long-term plan aimed at introducing scheduled flights from China to Birmingham, made possible by the airport’s £40m runway extension.

The first flight from China to Birmingham touched down last summer. A 248-seat A330-200 aircraft operated by China Southern Airways flew between Beijing and Birmingham on three dates.

But as yet no Chinese carrier has signed up to operate a scheduled service.

Hainan Airlines will operate twice weekly flights on a Boeing 767-300 aircraft, with 223 seats – 32 in the business cabin and 191 in economy. The flights will operate from Beijing to Birmingham each Friday and Monday, starting on Friday 3rd July.

Jo Lloyd, Birmingham Airport’s commercial director, said: “We are honoured to be able to once again host the UK’s only direct charter flights from Beijing this summer and look forward to welcoming the thousands of Chinese passengers arriving twice weekly into the Midlands during the summer.

“Not only is this a significant market test, it paves the way for future sustainable scheduled flights into Birmingham from China that will support the growth in Chinese visitors as well as the region’s economy.

“We are also hopeful that flight programmes will include departures from Shanghai and Guangzhou as well as Beijing to Birmingham in the future.”

Birmingham’s deal with Hainan Airlines and Caissa Touristic was announced at the GREAT Festival of Creativity in Shanghai, which runs until tomorrow.

The festival, launched by HRH The Duke of Cambridge, is a partnership between the UK government and private sector to create jobs and growth by supporting UK companies looking to break into fast growing Chinese markets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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