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Expanded business travel opportunities as British Airways resumes Beijing route

British Airways resumes direct flights between London and Beijing, offering enhanced business travel connections and a luxurious experience for UK-based travellers, marking a significant milestone in the UK-China travel sector.

In a significant milestone, British Airways’ inaugural flight from London to Beijing landed at Beijing Daxing Airport yesterday, 4 June, marking the resumption of their passenger service between the two cities.

This is British Airways’ first flight on this route since January 2020 when it was suspended due to the global pandemic.

With this relaunch, British Airways proudly holds the distinction of being the sole British carrier operating direct flights between Beijing and the UK.

The new four-times-a-week service will operate between Beijing and London, with departures from Daxing Airport on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

This development not only benefits business travellers but also highlights the airline’s joint business partnership with China Southern, as both carriers operate from Daxing Airport. The collaboration provides customers with improved connectivity options between the UK and China, seamless transfers, a broader range of onward flights, and enhanced benefits.

Through the joint business, frequent flyer benefits have been amplified, allowing travellers to earn more points, conveniently book through both airlines’ websites or apps, enjoy upgraded lounge access, and experience some of the finest Chinese and British products and services both in the air and on the ground.

To commemorate this long-awaited moment, Louise Street, British Airways’ Director of Worldwide Airports, personally welcomed the inaugural flight, extending warm greetings to passengers and crew upon their arrival. Street expressed her excitement, stating,

The restart of one of our most important routes after more than three years is a long-awaited moment for all of us at British Airways. Following the successful resumption of flights between Shanghai and London in April, we’re excited to be back in Beijing too, reuniting families and friends and facilitating international student and business travel once again. We are looking forward to working hand-in-hand with our joint business partner China Southern, to provide wider transit options and various benefits to our customers in China and the UK

Travellers journeying between London and Beijing can now indulge in British Airways’ newly designed Club Suite cabin, specifically tailored to provide a luxurious and comfortable experience for business class passengers.

The innovative design features direct-aisle access, suite doors for enhanced privacy, luxurious flat-bed seats arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration, and an impressive 40% increase in storage capacity.

Additional amenities include WiFi, 18.5-inch inflight entertainment screens with high-definition gate-to-gate programming, PC/USB power outlets, plush new furnishings including pillows and warm quilts from The White Company, upgraded amenity kits, and an elevated dining experience.

In October 2019, British Airways became the first international flag carrier to transition operations to the newly opened Daxing Airport, a testament to their commitment to delivering exceptional service.

Passengers arriving at Daxing Airport can benefit from the high-speed rail link into the city and enjoy state-of-the-art facilities, including a newly redesigned lounge catering to eligible travellers.

The resumption of British Airways’ direct flights between London and Beijing represents an exciting development for business travellers in the UK seeking convenient and seamless connections with China. With enhanced connectivity, unparalleled in-flight amenities, and the backing of their joint business partnership with China Southern, British Airways is set to redefine the travel experience for corporate travelers between the two nations.


British Airways’ Club Suite rollout

British Airways is extending the roll out of its newest business class seat, Club Suite, as it continues to retrofit the seat across its Boeing 777 fleet, with the deployment expected to be completed by the end of 2022.

The airline already has retrofitted a number of its Boeing 777 aircraft with the latest seat and will be working with Collins Aerospace to ensure the rest of the airline’s 777 aircraft are fitted with the new cabin.

The sophisticated Club Suite was initially fitted out in July 2019 on the first A350 and since then has been installed on the Boeing 787-10 aircraft.

The seat offers

  • direct-aisle access
  • a suite door for greater privacy
  • luxurious flat-bed seats
  • a 1-2-1 configuration
  • 40% more storage
  • a vanity unit and mirror
  • WiFi
  • 18.5-inch inflight entertainment screens
  • high definition, gate-to-gate programming
  • PC/USB power

As part of the airline’s commitment to the North Atlantic, all British Airways flights to New York JFK will be operated by aircraft that have the airline’s Club Suite product.

Sajida Ismail, Head of Inflight Product at British Airways, said:

When we launched our Club Suite product, it was a huge hit with our customers who loved the privacy the new seat offers. We are focused on the roll out of this product and other cabin enhancements to ensure we deliver on our commitment to provide the very best British quality, style and comfort for our customers.

Trevor Skelly, General Manager Integration Engineering for Collins Aerospace, said:

The upgraded Club World cabin raises British Airways’ already high standards and provides commonality across their fleet of aircraft. Our Integration Engineering team has worked closely with British Airways designers for several years to bring the latest in business class comfort, style and privacy from concept to reality.

As part of the upgrade, the airline’s Club Kitchen is also getting a makeover with new Club chillers and built-in storage for snacks, drinks and other refreshments, allowing customers in Club World to help themselves to refreshments at their leisure.

British Airways is continuing with the roll out of its newest business class seat, Club Suite, as it continues to retrofit the seat across its Boeing 777 fleet, with the roll out expected to be completed by the end of 2022.
Collins Aerospace is a leader in technologically advanced and intelligent solutions for the global aerospace and defence industry. Manufacturing of the new suite seat is being completed at the company’s facility in Kilkeel, Northern Ireland.

The latest generation of the First cabin including the introduction of the First suite door will also continue to be rolled out across the airline’s B777-300 aircraft. The First suites were meticulously designed based on British Airways customers’ feedback, the cabin puts comfort at the heart of the experience and makes the very best use of the generous space designed for just a few customers at a time.  The First suite includes a fixed 23-inch high definition inflight entertainment screen that can be controlled with an integrated handset.

British Airways retrofits its first B777 with new Club Suite.

Following the successful introduction of its new Airbus A350-900 aircraft, British Airways has also now retrofitted its recently introduced Club Suite on a Boeing 777. The first B777 aircraft with the Club Suite will operate between London Heathrow and New York JFK, effective immediately. It will operate on flight BA173, departing Heathrow at 1120, and […]

British Airways New A350-1000 Now Flying to Madrid!

British Airways has now taken delivery of its first Airbus A350-1000 which is currently operating on the London Heathrow – Madrid route to familiarise crews with the aircraft.

Should you wish to be one of the first passengers to fly on this plane before it begins operating long-haul routes (Dubai & Toronto, followed by Tel Aviv and Bangalore) this autumn, you can do so on either of the following flights: BA464 and BA465 during August.

This new aircraft is the first to feature BA’s brand new Club Suites, which marks a significant improvement on the current Club World product.

There will be no First cabin, however, the Club Suites will feature in a 1-2-1 layout, along with 56 WTP seats and 219 in WT.

The A350-1000  is the quietest of any twin-aisle plane and provides airlines with a 25% reduction in fuel burn.