From June 1, Air China will start a daily operation to London Gatwick from Beijing on Airbus A330-300 aircraft, while China Southern will start a thrice-weekly service to Guangzhou on June 20, operated on Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft.
The new services bring the number of weekly flights from London Gatwick to China to 26 alongside existing flights to Shanghai (China Eastern and Air China) and Zhengzhou (China Southern). This, combined with services from Air India, Emirates, Saudia and Qatar Airways, plus new Singapore Airlines routes and Azerbaijan Airlines flights to Baku, this summer London Gatwick will have 85 weekly flights to Asia.
The additional routes supported growth in travel demand and will offer regional and domestic trade opportunities. In 2023, the UK exported £37.5 billion worth of goods and services to China, an increase of 11.9% compared to 2022.
The flights will also boost economic activity to the tourism industry in London and the Southeast, as Chinese visitors spent £1,937 per visit to the UK and £1.71 billion in total in 2019.
«These new services to China are fantastic news for both passengers and businesses in London and the South East, offering increased opportunities for tourism and trade. Having welcomed Air China and China Southern to the airport last year, the additional routes underline the companies’ commitment to London Gatwick’s growth. Together with China Eastern, we are delighted to continue to build on these positive relationships with the three major Chinese airlines,» said Stephanie Wear, London Gatwick’s Vice President of Aviation Development.
See also: Singapore Airlines Adds Gatwick Airport as a New Gateway to London
