Tianjin Airlines becomes latest Chinese carrier to fly to London

Executive Chairman and President of Tianjin Airlines Liu Lu presents a gift of a model aircraft to Minister of State Robert Goodwill at the Department for Transport. [Photo by Jiang Shan/China Daily]

Tianjin Airlines launched a new direct flight connecting Tianjin, Chongqing and London on Tuesday, the latest in a series of Chinese carriers which now fly into London.

The twice a week direct flight between Tianjin and London, with a stop in Chongqing, using an Airbus A330 aircraft designed to carry 260 passengers.

Hainan Airlines recently started a direct service between Beijing and Manchester.

Tianjin's flight arrives and then departs from London Gatwick Airport on each Wednesday and Saturday evening.

Tianjin's flight is currently the only one linking China with Gatwick, one of London's two main airports.

London's larger Heathrow Airport currently hosts services to Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Chengdu by Air China, China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, Cathay Pacific and British Airways.

Wu Hao, vice chairman and executive vice president of Tianjin Airlines, said the route was chosen due to rapidly growing trade, investment and cultural exchanges between China and London in recent years.

In 2015 over 1 million passengers travelled between UK and China, which is a 11 percent increase from 2014. In 2015, the number of Chinese tourists coming to the UK grew by 40 percent.

Contact the reporter on cecily.liu@mail.chinadailyuk.com