Virgin Atlantic has said that it will restart its flights to Shanghai, re-establishing both business and leisure connections between the United Kingdom and China.
The move comes following a relaxation in travel restrictions between the two countries, which sees the borders reopening to foreign nationals for the first time since 2020. Shanghai is Virgin Atlantic’s final route to be re-instated following the global pandemic, having been closed for a total of 859 days at the point of its relaunch.
The daily service will resume on May 01, 2023, with fares starting from £669 per person.
As it did prior to the pandemic, Virgin Atlantic’s Shanghai flights will operate on a Boeing 787-9.
China remains one of the most important trading partners to the UK and as the country’s largest city, Shanghai is a world renowned commercial and financial hub, as well as a promising tourist destination, and a gateway to China’s incredibly diverse scenery and culture. Shanghai is also a hub to the airline’s new SkyTeam partner, China Eastern, which offers a wide range of connections throughout China and beyond for onwards travel.
Juha Jarvinen, Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Atlantic, commented: ‘The return of our Shanghai services has been a long-time coming and I’m delighted it’s finally a reality. We’re looking forward to welcoming our customers back on board and providing vital links to one of the UK’s largest trading partners, for both passenger and cargo services.
‘Shanghai is the final route to return following the global pandemic, restoring our flying programme to full capacity. Our focus for 2023 is on delivery, as we look forward to launching routes to new destinations, welcoming brand new clean, green aircraft and getting back to our best for our customers and people.’
Customers travelling to China do not need to show proof of vaccination, however each passenger will need to show proof of a negative PCR test before they enter the country, alongside a health declaration form.
Passengers arriving from China into the UK must take a negative PCR or lateral flow test. Customers are advised to check https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/china for the latest travel advice.
