China’s Shenzhen Airlines launched direct flights between Shenzhen and London. The first direct flight between Shenzhen and London served by Airbus 330 wide-body aircraft.
The route will be operated every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday. The first flight launched on Oct. 30 from Shenzhen to London Heathrow airport. The flight departs from London at 9:40 p.m. local time (2140 GMT) and arrives in Shenzhen at 5:40 p.m. (0940 GMT) the next day. The return flight leaves Shenzhen at 2:10 p.m. (0610 GMT) and arrives in London at 7:40 p.m. (1940 GMT).
The Shenzhen Airlines flight will take almost 100,000 passengers a year to China’s megacity; known as the Silicon Valley of China.
Shenzhen, a southern Chinese city, has a population of 12.5 million people and the city has long been China’s factory floor, attracting migrants from across the country. The megacity is also a growing tech hub, with high-profile Chinese companies Tencent and Huawei based there.
The new Shenzhen flight more than doubles Heathrow’s current capacity to China. Heathrow has 11 direct routes to China, including Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, and Qingdao. The cities of Chongqing, Wuhan, Sanya, Changsha, Xian and Shenzhen were added this year.
Shenzhen Airlines Co., Ltd was founded in November 1992. By the end of 2017, it has operated about 200 domestic and international routes.
