Cathay Pacific has launched a four-times weekly direct Hong Kong to Manchester service.
The Hong Kong airline will start flying to the UK's third largest airport from December 8.
The route will be operated by a Boeing 777-300ER which includes business class, premium economy and its new economy class seats.
Cathay Pacific's general manager for Europe Angus Barclay said the new route, which is the only non-stop direct flight from Manchester to Hong Kong, will help "forge stronger links between the UK and China".
"We already currently operate five flights a day from London Heathrow to Hong Kong and the addition of the Manchester route provides a real opportunity to help stimulate economic growth in the North West," said Barclay.
"We continue to see an ever-increasing demand for air travel to and from the Asia Pacific region for both business and leisure traffic."
Inbound flights will arrive in Manchester from Hong Kong at 0620, every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Flights will depart from Manchester the same day, departing at 1200 and will arrive in Hong Kong at 0755 every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
Charlie Cornish, CEO of Manchester Airports Group (MAG) said: "This announcement follows lengthy discussions with airlines regarding direct flights from Manchester to Hong Kong and mainland China.
"The government wants to see the best use of existing airport capacity in the short term and we believe we are well placed to play our part in the process as the largest airport in the North."
The flight schedule for Cathay Pacific's Manchester (MAN) service, effective 8 December 2014, is as follows (all times local):
Flight No. | Routing | Departure | Arrival | Day of the week |
CX 357 | HKG-MAN | 0100 | 0620 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Sat |
CX 358 | MAN-HKG | 1200 | 0755+1 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Sat |
CathayPacific.com