China Southern Airlines will be running a Beijing to London service with its Airbus A380s later this year. Passengers will be able to fly between the UK capital and Beijing’s new Daxing mega-airport on the largest commercial passenger jet in the skies.
On Friday, news emerged that Asia’s largest airline, China Southern, will be operating a new route between Beijing Daxing International Airport and London Heathrow this summer.
According to reports by Routes Online, data for China Southern Airlines’ summer 2020 schedule reveals that the new Beijing Daxing International to London Heathrow route will commence on 18 June.
An impressive route all round
New routes pop up across the world every year, but this one is impressive in a number of different ways.
Not only is it being operated by the largest airline in Asia, flying to the busiest airport in Europe from Beijing’s new Daxing International mega-airport. It is also being operated by the Airbus A380, the world’s largest passenger aircraft.
It’s certainly an important route which will likely get a good mix of tourists and business travellers flying between China and Europe. As reported by Routes Online, China Southern Airlines will operate flights between the two capital cities daily.
Tickets for the new Beijing Daxing International to London Heathrow route are now available for full fare reservation in all service classes.
China Southern's Airbus A380s
In total, China Southern Airlines has a fleet of five Airbus A380s, which the airline operates as its flagship type. Passengers aboard China Southern's Airbus A380s can enjoy their flight in either first, business or economy class.
There are 70 flat-bed seats placed in a 1-2-1 configuration in China Southern's business class. The airline refers to this as its ‘Couch in the Air’ seating, and it includes many other amenities, such as a minibar and personal table.
Meanwhile, first class offers the airline’s Platinum Private Suites. Each of China Southern's Airbus A380s has eight of these suites, which offer a luxury, fully-private in flight experience, complete with 23-inch widescreen TVs and a premium interior finish.
China Southern’s other new routes
China Southern Airlines will also soon begin operating a new route out of Beijing Daxing International to another capital city.
It's a bit closer to home than London, but China Southern will commence flights from Beijing Daxing International to Tokyo Haneda beginning 29 March. This particular flight will be operated daily by the airline’s Airbus A330-300s.
On the same day, fellow Chinese carrier China Eastern Airlines will also commence its Beijing Daxing International to Paris Charles de Gaul service. China Eastern's service to Paris will be flown using its Airbus A350-900s.
29 March will be an important day for China Eastern as the flights from Beijing Daxing to Paris Charles de Gaul will be its first intercontinental route to depart Beijing Daxing International.
China Eastern Airlines has had to wait since late September, when the new airport opened, to reach the milestone. But, given the demand for slots at Daxing and other airports in other major capital cities like London, Paris and Tokyo, it’s easy to understand why it is taking a while.
Greater collaboration between China Southern and British Airways
China Southern’s new route to London Heathrow will likely have been influenced by the joint business agreement it signed with British Airways back in December.
The agreement, which went into effect on 2 January, has seen the two airlines work together much more closely, coordinating schedules and frequent flier programs.
All in all, the two airlines are looking to take advantage of the domestic and international route networks each other has to offer.