London Heathrow has announced the launch of its first direct flight to Zhengzhou, allowing British passengers to fly directly to one of China’s eight Ancient Capital cities.
Zhengzhou is the capital of Henan Province in the central region of the People’s Republic of China. Now designated a National Civilized City, Zhengzhou is also a Chinese manufacturing hub, where nearly 70 per cent of Apple iPhones sold worldwide are manufactured.
A first direct service from Europe, the new Zhengzhou route operated by China Southern is Heathrow’s 13th direct connection to China. The flight will carry travellers into the heart of ancient Chinese culture, offering them opportunity to explore the famous Shaolin Monastery and Pagoda Forest, as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, considered the birth-place of the ancient martial art of kung-fu.
Zhengzhou is also one of the most important textile centres in the country, and British businesses and passengers will now be able to directly access the heart of industrial – as well as ancient – China, the airport said.
Ross Baker, Heathrow’s Chief Commercial Officer, said: ‘The launch of our new route to Zhengzhou is an exciting opportunity for passengers and will provide Europe’s only direct connection to this unique Chinese destination. At Heathrow, we are committed to opening-up more routes to China as part of our strategy to drive forward the UK’s global connectivity for years to come.’
China Southern’s Zhengzhou service will be operated twice weekly out of Terminal 4 and use a 787-800 aircraft. It will offer an annual 55,328 seats and 2,080 tonnes of cargo space.
The number of destinations available via Heathrow – the UK’s only hub airport – has allowed exports to China to increase by 135 per cent in value from 2018 compared to 2017, totalling over £7 billion, the airport noted.
