Article from BTNews 19 MARCH 2018
Hainan three-capital coup
A new year-round four-times-weekly service between Beijing, Edinburgh and Dublin starting on 12 June has been announced by Hainan Airlines, giving Scotland and Ireland their first direct links to mainland China.
Hainan, China’s largest independent carrier, will operate direct non-stop flights between Beijing and Dublin on two of the days. On the other two days, the flights will operate with a stopover in Edinburgh. Service will be by Airbus A330-300.
Company chairman Bao Qifa said: “Hainan Airlines is committed to becoming the forerunner and practitioner of achieving China’s civil aviation power. The opening of these services will provide new facilities to stimulate the development of Sino-Scottish and Sino-Irish relations.”
Direct Beijing – Dublin flights will operate on Thursdays and Sundays and the direct Dublin – Beijing service on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Beijing – Edinburgh – Dublin will operate on Tuesdays and Saturdays and Dublin – Edinburgh – Beijing on Thursdays and Sundays.
The launch gives Dublin double cause for celebration coming shortly after Cathay Pacific is scheduled to launch a four-times-weekly service between Hong Kong and the Irish capital.
About 120,000 passengers travelled between Ireland and mainland China last year, with journeys to and from Beijing accounting for more than a quarter of trips. Ireland is Europe’s largest travel market for Chinese traffic currently without non-stop flights.
www.hainanairlines.com/GB/GB/Home
OUR READERS' FINEST WORDS (All times and dates are GMT)
All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 100 words maximum