China Southern Airlines Launches London Heathrow-Beijing Daxing Route

 

On June 7, 2023, China Southern Airlines officially inaugurated its London Heathrow-Beijing Daxing route, offering one daily flight and creating a more convenient “air bridge” for tourism, trade, and cultural exchanges between China and the United Kingdom. As the largest base carrier at Beijing Daxing International Airport, China Southern Airlines is also the first Chinese airline to operate a direct route between Beijing Daxing and London Heathrow.

To mark the commencement of the route, China Southern Airlines’ London branch organized a splendid welcoming ceremony at Heathrow Airport. The event included speeches, ribbon-cutting, and champagne celebrations, symbolizing the successful commencement of China Southern Airlines’ London Heathrow-Beijing Daxing route.

The London Heathrow-Beijing Daxing route is operated by the state-of-the-art Airbus A350 flagship aircraft. The departure schedule is as follows: departing from London Heathrow Airport at 22:30 local time, arriving at Beijing Daxing International Airport at 15:25 Beijing time the following day, with an estimated flight duration of 9 hours and 55 minutes. The return flight departs from Beijing Daxing International Airport at 11:55 Beijing time and arrives at London Heathrow Airport at 15:45 local time, with an estimated flight duration of 10 hours and 50 minutes. Passengers arriving in Beijing can easily connect to China Southern Airlines’ flights to 27 cities in China, including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Xiamen, Chongqing, and Changsha. Tickets for the London Heathrow-Beijing Daxing route are now available for purchase, with a projected capacity of transporting over 600 passengers per day.

In the next phase, China Southern Airlines plans to continue restoring a series of international routes, closely connecting China with the UK and strengthening global air route networks. Currently, the airline operates nine international and regional routes from Daxing Airport, including destinations such as Amsterdam, Moscow, Istanbul, and Hong Kong. In the future, more diverse travel options will be provided to customers.

As one of the major carriers in the China-UK market, China Southern Airlines has previously offered direct flights from Guangzhou, Wuhan, Zhengzhou, and Sanya, greatly facilitating travel and exchanges between the two countries. Following adjustments to China’s epidemic prevention policies, China Southern Airlines officially resumed daily flights between London and Guangzhou on April 10, 2023, providing increased convenience for direct travel between China and the UK.

The London Heathrow-Beijing Daxing route not only represents a new international route for China Southern Airlines at Daxing Airport but also serves as a crucial long-haul connection established by the airline at the Beijing Daxing hub in the post-pandemic era. The opening of this route brings new vitality to the partnership and cooperation between the UK and China, fostering closer cultural exchanges between the two nations. Additionally, the continuous expansion of direct air routes will further promote deep interactions between the Chinese and British people.