...according to update on the M E N a service to Beijing is sealed, flights
apparently ready to launch with small caveat ...
"subject to alteration of Bi lateral agreement" !
The airline in Question is Air China.
They have an A330-200 ready to run the flight, they have flight numbers and times applied ready for a Manchester flight, and now they are meeting with the Chinese and UK authorities to run a flight, applying off their own back for an addendum to the bilateral agreement to run flights to Manchester. They are apparently 'frustrated' at the slow progress being made in changing the bilateral agreement as a whole. The addendum they are applying for is for Manchester only, and will have to apply separately again if they wish to serve another UK point on top of MAN/LHR/LGW.
By all accounts, and this comes from a very trusted friend, the process is costing Air China some fair whack of money so there is no doubt they are serious about starting flights.
Whether Manchester can sustain such a large level of flights going east will be another question, but, if we only have to rely on the inbound numbers, there are certainly enough potential people to use the flights.