Manchester Airport Group (MAG) in the UK has announced the resumption of the Beijing-Manchester service for the first time since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The services, which restarted on 22 August from Manchester Airport (MAN), are expected to boost the economy in the North.
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It will be a weekly once service, with Hainan Airlines’ A330 aircraft arriving on Monday at 10:00 and departing at 15:00.
The Chinese airline commenced its operations from the Northern hub in 2016, and the resumption of the service is expected to bring in millions of pounds in trade, investment, as well as tourism benefits.
Manchester Airport managing director Chris Woodroofe said: “Today’s announcement is clear evidence of the vital economic role that Manchester Airport plays, both in the North and the UK as a whole, as we emerge from the pandemic.
“Prior to 2020, the Hainan service provided vital connectivity to one of the world’s most important economies, and I am sure this news will be welcomed by the hundreds of thousands of people across the North who travel to and from China each year.
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By GlobalData“It is extremely positive to see critical routes like this return to our departure boards, and we look forward to working closely with Hainan Airlines to build on the previous success of this route.”
Initially, the outbound flight will operate via the Chinese city of Dalian while the inbound service will be direct from Beijing.
The resumption of the service comes after the two governments agreed that Manchester-China was one of the air corridors that could restart following a gap of two and a half years.
Before the pandemic, nearly 100,000 people used to travel between Manchester and Beijing from the airport’s catchment area.
