BA to start Shanghai
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BA to start Shanghai
BA plans flights to Shanghai
British Airways plans to start flights this summer from London Heathrow to Shanghai in China, subject to approval by the Chinese authorities.
Robert Boyle, the airline's director of commercial planning, said: "We have flown to both Hong Kong and Beijing for many years and are keen to start services to Shanghai. The city is the powerhouse of the Chinese economy and, as the economy continues to grow, we believe there will be a great demand for our flights.
"Shanghai Pudong airport is due to open a second runway and we are talking to the Chinese authorities about securing take-off and landing slots in Shanghai for our flights. We hope to fly five times a week with a Boeing 777 aircraft."
BA's Shanghai plans have been boosted by the news that the British and Chinese governments have agreed to changes in travel visa rules which will make it easier for Chinese citizens to visit the UK.
The airline currently flies from London Heathrow to Beijing four times each week with a Boeing 777 aircraft. This will increase to six times per week from June 2005. BA also flies 17 times a week from London Heathrow to Hong Kong with a Boeing 747 aircraft, which will increase to 21 flights a week from June 2005.
Last Friday (January 21), the UK and Chinese governments signed an agreement under which the Chinese government will allow selected Chinese tour operators to sell UK leisure tours to Chinese citizens.
British Airways plans to start flights this summer from London Heathrow to Shanghai in China, subject to approval by the Chinese authorities.
Robert Boyle, the airline's director of commercial planning, said: "We have flown to both Hong Kong and Beijing for many years and are keen to start services to Shanghai. The city is the powerhouse of the Chinese economy and, as the economy continues to grow, we believe there will be a great demand for our flights.
"Shanghai Pudong airport is due to open a second runway and we are talking to the Chinese authorities about securing take-off and landing slots in Shanghai for our flights. We hope to fly five times a week with a Boeing 777 aircraft."
BA's Shanghai plans have been boosted by the news that the British and Chinese governments have agreed to changes in travel visa rules which will make it easier for Chinese citizens to visit the UK.
The airline currently flies from London Heathrow to Beijing four times each week with a Boeing 777 aircraft. This will increase to six times per week from June 2005. BA also flies 17 times a week from London Heathrow to Hong Kong with a Boeing 747 aircraft, which will increase to 21 flights a week from June 2005.
Last Friday (January 21), the UK and Chinese governments signed an agreement under which the Chinese government will allow selected Chinese tour operators to sell UK leisure tours to Chinese citizens.
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Some more info, about time it would seem, its a huge untapped market.
From China Economic Net:
"British Airways is considering flying to new mainland destinations to take advantage of a more liberal air services regime between China and Britain.
BA chief executive Rod Eddington said the carrier was also working hard on the political front to make it easier for mainland citizens to acquire visas for Britain under the mainland's approved destination status (ADS) programme.
"We're increasing frequencies to Beijing and Hong Kong, and are looking at other ports to serve. We will serve more Chinese cities, but the questions are, when and where," Mr Eddington said.
In February, the British and Chinese governments agreed to open the market to more carriers by signing an enlarged air services pact that allows for more frequent flights between the two countries.
It also permits more than one British airline to operate between Britain and Shanghai and Beijing, as well as opening up four other mainland cities.
BA has been keen to break the Virgin Atlantic Airways monopoly on Shanghai, after losing a licensing battle to its rival in 1999 for the route. China Eastern Airlines has also launched services to London.
Mr Eddington said the business case for additional mainland points to be served by BA would be boosted by Britain joining the ADS list.
This year, China and the European Union concluded a tourism accord that put most European countries on the list, giving mainland citizens the right to apply for normal tourist visas. Ireland, Denmark and Britain were the only countries that did not participate in the scheme, partly because of illegal immigration fears.
For countries not on the ADS list, mainlander visitors require an organisation - such as a school - to act as a sponsor and guarantee that they will return on time to China.
But countries such as Italy and France have now seen an upsurge in mainland tourists, with reports of Parisian retailers saying that mainland tourists had spending power akin to that of Japanese visitors in the 1980s.
"Clearly, Shanghai is a business centre and we are looking at it ... but can it support two UK carriers? There is also a lot of competition for Shanghai-UK traffic through other European and Middle East hubs," Mr Eddington said. "Timing is often the key."
In September, BA launched the first freighter service between China and Britain, from Shanghai Pudong airport. "That freighter service is an indicator of the importance of the Shanghai market to us," he said.
Guangzhou's new Baiyun airport was "also interesting", Mr Eddington said, but too close to Hong Kong for BA to consider. "Our focus in southern China is on building on Hong Kong frequencies," he said. BA flies 17 times a week between Hong Kong and Britain."
From China Economic Net:
"British Airways is considering flying to new mainland destinations to take advantage of a more liberal air services regime between China and Britain.
BA chief executive Rod Eddington said the carrier was also working hard on the political front to make it easier for mainland citizens to acquire visas for Britain under the mainland's approved destination status (ADS) programme.
"We're increasing frequencies to Beijing and Hong Kong, and are looking at other ports to serve. We will serve more Chinese cities, but the questions are, when and where," Mr Eddington said.
In February, the British and Chinese governments agreed to open the market to more carriers by signing an enlarged air services pact that allows for more frequent flights between the two countries.
It also permits more than one British airline to operate between Britain and Shanghai and Beijing, as well as opening up four other mainland cities.
BA has been keen to break the Virgin Atlantic Airways monopoly on Shanghai, after losing a licensing battle to its rival in 1999 for the route. China Eastern Airlines has also launched services to London.
Mr Eddington said the business case for additional mainland points to be served by BA would be boosted by Britain joining the ADS list.
This year, China and the European Union concluded a tourism accord that put most European countries on the list, giving mainland citizens the right to apply for normal tourist visas. Ireland, Denmark and Britain were the only countries that did not participate in the scheme, partly because of illegal immigration fears.
For countries not on the ADS list, mainlander visitors require an organisation - such as a school - to act as a sponsor and guarantee that they will return on time to China.
But countries such as Italy and France have now seen an upsurge in mainland tourists, with reports of Parisian retailers saying that mainland tourists had spending power akin to that of Japanese visitors in the 1980s.
"Clearly, Shanghai is a business centre and we are looking at it ... but can it support two UK carriers? There is also a lot of competition for Shanghai-UK traffic through other European and Middle East hubs," Mr Eddington said. "Timing is often the key."
In September, BA launched the first freighter service between China and Britain, from Shanghai Pudong airport. "That freighter service is an indicator of the importance of the Shanghai market to us," he said.
Guangzhou's new Baiyun airport was "also interesting", Mr Eddington said, but too close to Hong Kong for BA to consider. "Our focus in southern China is on building on Hong Kong frequencies," he said. BA flies 17 times a week between Hong Kong and Britain."
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It's about time BA piggy backed onto a route blazed by VS, it's been the other way around for years with VS monitoring BA build up a route and then move in themselves.
More competition is a good thing for the consumer at the end of the day.
More competition is a good thing for the consumer at the end of the day.
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African Dude ????
you must be bored!!!!
Are the 5 days proposed mon-fri? What's the business case for not having any weekend flights
Firstly, 5 days a week, could be any 5 days of the week, and last time I checked, Saturday and Sunday were also days of the week. Why, therefore, ask what the business case is for an answer you don't even have ?
I used to fly to Beijing frequently and it used to annoy me that BA flew Thursdays and then not until Sunday. We suspected it was just a Chinese ploy to keep us spending our hard currency by restricting when you could fly home. Indeed, in those days there was only LH and AY who flew West on a Friday.
yawnnnnn.... back to sleep
When dealing with our friends from the East, Business planning is something you do after the deal is done.
you must be bored!!!!
Are the 5 days proposed mon-fri? What's the business case for not having any weekend flights
Firstly, 5 days a week, could be any 5 days of the week, and last time I checked, Saturday and Sunday were also days of the week. Why, therefore, ask what the business case is for an answer you don't even have ?
I used to fly to Beijing frequently and it used to annoy me that BA flew Thursdays and then not until Sunday. We suspected it was just a Chinese ploy to keep us spending our hard currency by restricting when you could fly home. Indeed, in those days there was only LH and AY who flew West on a Friday.
yawnnnnn.... back to sleep
When dealing with our friends from the East, Business planning is something you do after the deal is done.
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Sorry, I posted a reply but it seems to have disappeared into cyberspace since Wednesday.
Norodnik, I was bored, but the two seperate questions remain. I'm interested to know why BA have chosen 5 days (and which ones). If asking "What's the business case for not having any weekend flights" is too off-topic for you then sorry?
Norodnik, I was bored, but the two seperate questions remain. I'm interested to know why BA have chosen 5 days (and which ones). If asking "What's the business case for not having any weekend flights" is too off-topic for you then sorry?
