AIR CHINA expects to offer daily flights from Heathrow to Beijing this coming summer if bilateral talks are successful. As things stand there will be six CA flights and four BA services. Shanghai is served by Virgin Atlantic who will be joined by China Eastern (see ABTN 19 January). Air China has introduced a completely new business class concept on the route using traditional style seats with a deep incline rather than the pods that are now finding favour. China continues to boom commercially with the UK, for the first time, not the lead entry point into Europe. This honour goes to Germany with 28 services. At the present time (unlike Germany) the UK does not have ADS (authorised destination status) from the communist republic, which makes inbound tourism difficult. Whilst the majority of passengers on the CA services are presently European the airline believes that in the years to come 80% will be Chinese.
http://www.air-china.co.uk