British Airways to relaunch flights to China starting April 23, 2023. Virgin Atlantic to relaunch flights to Shanghai starting May 1, 2023.
GLOBritish Airways to relaunch flights to China starting April 23, 2023: After a two-year absence, British Airways has announced it will resume flights between the UK and mainland China. Tickets have gone on sale today for flights to Shanghai from 23 April and Beijing from 3 June. British Airways first flew to China in 1980 and continued to do so until the pandemic. The airline has been working hard to reintroduce these important routes to enable customers to reunite with family and friends. From 23 April, flights will operate daily between London Heathrow and Shanghai Pudong International Airport – flight numbers BA168/BA169. From 3 June, flights will operate four times per week between London Heathrow and Beijing Daxing Airport – flight numbers BA88/89.
Noella Ferns, British Airways’ Head of Sales, Asia Pacific, said: “We can’t wait to welcome our customers back on board our flights from Shanghai and Beijing. We know they’ve been looking forward to reuniting with family and friends, coming to study in the UK and resuming business between China and the UK. We have an incredibly rich history of flying to mainland China, having connected the two countries for more than 40 years. We look forward to resuming these routes again.”
Safety has always been at the heart of everything British Airways does and the airline has a number of measures in place at the airport and on board to look after the safety and wellbeing of our customers and crew. The air on all British Airways’ flights is fully recycled once every two to three minutes through HEPA filters, which remove microscopic bacteria and virus clusters with more than 99.9% efficiency, equivalent to hospital operating theatre standards. Additionally, British Airways always follows local regulations to ensure customers experience safe and smooth travel.
Shanghai and Beijing flights are now available to book on ba.com
Virgin Atlantic to relaunch flights to Shanghai starting May 1, 2023: Virgin Atlantic is to restart its much-anticipated flights to Shanghai, re-establishing essential business and leisure connections between the United Kingdom and China. The daily service will resume on 01 May 2023, with fares starting from £669 per person. The move comes following a relaxation in travel restrictions between the two countries, which sees the borders reopening to foreign nationals for the first time since 2020. Shanghai is Virgin Atlantic’s final route to be re-instated following the global pandemic, having been closed for a total of 859 days at the point of its relaunch.
China remains one of the most important trading partners to the UK and as the country’s largest city, Shanghai is a world renowned commercial and financial hub. Moreover, the eclectic destination offers UK tourists a melting pot of culture, from Pudong district’s futuristic skyline, the Bund’s famous waterfront walkways to the traditional pavilions in Yu Gardens.
As it did prior to the pandemic, Virgin Atlantic’s Shanghai flights will operate on a Boeing 787-9. Customers can enjoy a selection of experiences across three cabins; Upper Class, Premium alongside the airline’s three classes of Economy, Delight, Classic and Light.
Shanghai is also a hub to the airline’s new SkyTeam partner, China Eastern. Offering a wide range of connections throughout China and beyond, Virgin Atlantic customers will be able to seamlessly connect to onward services. Flying Club members will soon have the opportunity to earn and redeem Virgin Points across China Eastern’s flying programme, alongside many other SkyTeam partners*.
Juha Jarvinen, Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Atlantic, commented: “The return of our Shanghai services has been a long-time coming and I’m delighted it’s finally a reality. We’re looking forward to welcoming our customers back on board and providing vital links to one of the UK’s largest trading partners, for both passenger and cargo services. Shanghai is the final route to return following the global pandemic, restoring our flying programme to full capacity. Our focus for 2023 is on delivery, as we look forward to launching routes to new destinations, welcoming brand new clean, green aircraft and getting back to our best for our customers and people.”
The return to China will complement the rest of Virgin Atlantic’s global route network which includes the USA & Caribbean, South Africa, India and Pakistan. The airline’s Tel Aviv service is set to double capacity this summer, operating a double daily service which has been a firm favourite with business and leisure travellers alike. New routes to the Maldives and Turks and Caicos will also commence later this year.
Customers travelling to China do not need to show proof of vaccination, however each passenger will need to show proof of a negative PCR test before they enter the country, alongside a health declaration form. Passengers arriving from China into the UK must take a negative PCR or lateral flow test. Customers should check https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/china for the latest travel advice.
*Virgin Atlantic is on track to join SkyTeam in the next few weeks.
