Privately-owned Chinese carrier Juneyao Air is set to open its first route to the UK with flights serving Manchester airport from today (Monday).
The airline will run three flights a week from Shanghai, providing the first connection between the north of England and China’s financial capital and gateway to the south of the country.
Juneyao Air uses two-class Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners on long-haul routes and became the first privately-owned Chinese carrier to operate intercontinental flights with a Shanghai-Helsinki link in 2019.
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The airline originally announced plans in 2019 for thrice-weekly flights between the two cities via Helsinki. The route had been due to launch in March 2020 but did not go ahead due to the pandemic.
Industry analytics firm Cirium heralded the new route, which comes as it projected that outbound traffic from Manchester airport for 2024 will be up 10% year on year – and 7% higher than pre-pandemic levels.
It means Manchester is ahead of other airports, with departures from UK airports only expected to reach 92% of pre-pandemic levels.
Cirium chief executive Jeremy Bowen said: “As Cirium data shows, Manchester is one of the most connected cities in the UK for flights, so that is why we welcome the start of the new three-day a week service from Juneyao Air linking Manchester and Shanghai.
“With the start of these new flights, 2024 is projected to see Manchester airport offers more departing seats than before the pandemic and is helping secure its position as one of the most connected airports in the UK.
“We know this will bring significant economic benefits to the north of England as aviation is a great economic enabler and the more links an airport has, the greater benefits it can convey.”
Manchester airport managing director Chris Woodroofe said: “We have an ever-growing route network of more than 200 destinations and we are always looking to add new routes that bring benefits to the region. That is why it is so exciting that Juneyao Air has chosen Manchester as its first UK destination.
“Manchester and the north’s links to China go back many years; Manchester’s Chinatown is one of the biggest and oldest in the UK and Liverpool is twinned with Shanghai.
“This new link will bring huge benefits to the region. It will help the region’s Chinese communities connect with their friends and families and provide new customers and connections for Northern businesses.
“It will also help us showcase the north to a huge new market, bringing visitors to our wonderful cities and towns and to the region’s spectacular National Parks like the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales and the Peak District – bringing prosperity to large and small business all over the north.”