Since 1980, British Airways has been a vital link connecting the United Kingdom and China, allowing travellers from both regions to connect on many levels. British Airways had done an excellent job connecting the United Kingdom and China for over 40 years until the pandemic struck hard.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the virus dealt massive blows to China and the United Kingdom, respectively, and the virus outbreak nearly crippled the economies and lives of both countries. To combat the devastating effects of the COVID-19 virus, the UK government began by isolating its region from the rest of the world, especially China, where the COVID-19 virus is said to have originated. British Airways, an important bridge between China and the UK, had to stop all flight operations to uphold the UK government’s countermeasures to the COVID-19 outbreak.
An Indefinite Break
With the world uncertain about how the pandemic would progress, the economy crashed, businesses folded, and industries recorded staggering losses. The aviation industry, especially, understood its importance in helping the world heal from the COVID-19 outbreak, so it upheld the countermeasure of an indefinite break from aviation services. British Airways, the flag-bearer airline in the UK, understood it had to lead by example despite staggering losses. Hence, following a government directive, the situation escalated into an indefinite operational break.
Post-Pandemic Recovery
The grasp of the COVID-19 virus began to ease in the second half of 2020, and everyone started their journey to recover from the pandemic effects. Although British Airways had been affected negatively by the Covid-19 outbreak, the airline put its passengers first. On its road to recovery, it began planning to resume operations in the second half of 2020. British Airways introduced inclusive safety measures on the ground and onboard flights to achieve its planned recovery and resume operations toward the end of 2020.
We are not ready for China
Despite British Airways’ recovery from the pandemic as it begins flying again in the first half of 2021, it still maintains its decision not to fly to China. China was a red zone for the COVID-19 virus, and the authorities deemed it fit to take a different, delayed approach to interacting with the region as the UK recovers from the pandemic. This hiatus from China continued, and travellers kept yearning for their loved ones and the opportunities they had missed due to the restriction on travel between the UK and China.
The Wait Is Over
The wait ends today as British Airways announces that it will resume flights between the UK and China. The announcement is great news for regional travellers and a long-awaited development for British Airways management because, once again, the airline can serve as a link bridge connecting two great regions.
The Head of Sales for Asia Pacific at British Airways, Noella Ferns, said in a press release:
“We can’t wait to welcome our customers back on board our flights from Shanghai and Beijing. We know they’ve been looking forward to reuniting with family and friends, coming to study in the UK and resuming business between China and the UK. We have an incredibly rich history of flying to mainland China, having connected the two countries for more than 40 years. We look forward to resuming these routes again.”
British Airways began ticket sales today for flights from London Heathrow airport to Shanghai’s Pudong International airport starting April 23rd and flights to Beijing starting June 4th this year. After almost two years break, British Airways will fly China skies again, and the airline has put in place several safety measures to protect its passengers and staff. The security measures include:
- Integration of high-efficiency particulate absorbing (HEPA) filters onboard flights to recycle the air every two to three minutes. These filters remove microscopic bacteria and viruses at an efficiency rate similar to the standard of hospital operating theatres.
- British Airways practices strict compliance with local regulations and safety measures.
After two years of absence from China aerospace, British Airways is taking all measures to ensure its passengers’ and crew’s safety. Travellers can now book flights to midland China on the British Airways website and continue the existing relationship between the Uk and China. What part of China can’t you wait to visit?
