Heathrow launches new direct flight to Chinese megacity Chongqing
Heathrow has launched its first direct flight to Chongqing, in what marks the hub airport's 10th direct flight to China.
Tianjin Airlines will operate the route to the Chinese 'megacity' three times a week, carrying up to 81,000 passengers a year, as well as nearly 4,000 tonnes worth of exports.
Heathrow has been growing its list of Chinese destinations throughout the year. China has become a go-to destination for British travellers, with more than 2.8m passengers travelling there last year, along with 137,000 tonnes of cargo.
The airport already flies to Guangzhou, Xian, Qingdao and Wuhan. However it warned that it lagged behind European rivals who fly passengers to other economic hotspots such as Hangzhou, Chengdu, and Kunming.
Chongqing is part of the “west triangle economic zone” in China that contributes nearly 40 per cent of western China’s GDP.
According to Frontier Economics, which carried out an export study for Heathrow, the airport's services to China contributed £510m to the UK economy and supported up to 15,000 jobs.
Heathrow's chief commercial officer Ross Baker said: "Now that parliament has voted unequivocally in favour of Heathrow expansion we will ensure London, and the UK, become the destination of choice for Chinese trade, tourism, and investment.”