On August 8, British Airways announced the decision to temporarily suspend its London-Beijing route from October 26, 2024, until at least November 2025.
However, direct flights from London to Shanghai and Hong Kong will continue uninterrupted.
The reason behind this decision echoes familiar challenges: unable to fly over Russian airspace; fierce competition from Chinese airlines on the same route; and substantial cost pressures making the route unprofitable for British Airways.
Comparing flight schedules on the Beijing-London route, Air China operates three daily flights to London, alongside China Southern's flights from Beijing Daxing Airport, totaling four daily flights by Chinese carriers.
Google Flight data showing the air duration between Beijing and London. Screenshot by That's
These flights typically take approximately 11 hours, while British Airways' route takes 13 hours and 15 minutes, making it notably slower by over 2 hours.
British Airways' withdrawal from the Beijing route mirrors Virgin Atlantic's recent decision to cease its Shanghai operations, citing similar airspace challenges over Russia.
In early July, Virgin announced the cessation of its London-Shanghai flights, marking the end of a 25-year service on this route due to insurmountable hurdles and complexities associated with Russian airspace restrictions.
READ MORE: Virgin Atlantic to Cancel Only China Flight
In addition to British Airways' flight suspension, there have also been several changes in the travel sector in the past month that might stir up your summer travel plan.
At the end of July, Qantas Airways halted its Shanghai-Sydney route, offering a refund policy and an alternative path to travelers who booked flights on this route after July 28.
In the cruise industry, MSC Splendida, a cruise ship from MSC, will be leaving the Chinese market for South America during the 2024/25 cruise season, and will continue to operate select voyages from Shenzhen and Xiamen until November.
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[Cover image via Pixabay]
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