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British Airways (BA) want to see Britain added to China’s rising checklist of nations eligible for its 30-day visa-free scheme to extend demand after suspending its Beijing flights final yr. China has been steadily extending its 30-day visa waiver scheme. As of June, it included 55 nations. It doesn’t embrace Britain, though British passport holders final yr had been included in a 240-hour transit visa-free coverage.
“We’re working with the UK authorities and diplomatically with the China authorities round seeing if we are able to get the UK into that programme,” the airline’s Chief Planning and Technique Officer, Neil Chernoff, informed media in Shanghai.
“I feel that that’s a technique that we are able to enhance demand.”
British Airways suspended flights to Beijing in October, one in every of a number of international carriers that pulled Chinese language companies as they wrestle with a ban on flying over Russian airspace and a slower than anticipated rebound in Chinese language journey after the pandemic.
Longer flights round Russia imply increased gasoline and crew prices, and plane utilisation is decrease, placing airways that can’t overfly Russia at a drawback to Chinese language carriers that may take these shorter routes.
“In a spot like China, which isn’t topic to the identical restrictions we’ve within the UK, they’ll clearly provide a extra aggressive product as a result of their flight occasions are much less,” Chernoff mentioned.
British Airways, which nonetheless flies day by day to Shanghai and Hong Kong, is continually evaluating whether or not to carry again its Beijing route. Demand has not caught up with growing provide for the reason that pandemic, Chernoff mentioned.
British Airways has a three way partnership with state-owned China Southern and on Wednesday mentioned it was deepening it by permitting frequent flier factors to be collected and redeemed by either side.
Supply: Reuters
The submit BA wants to see UK added to China’s visa waiver scheme appeared first on Travel Daily Media.
