Following considerable collaboration between transport officials in both countries, two airlines recently announced that direct passenger flights between China and the United Kingdom will restart in the middle of March, after a more than one-year ban.

Virgin Atlantic announced on its Wechat account on March 3 that it had been permitted to fly two trial direct flights between Shanghai and London in mid-March, following negotiations between the UK Department for Transport and the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

According to the news, flights from London to Shanghai would be limited in capacity, but flights from Shanghai to London will be unrestricted.

On its Wechat account five days later, the airline announced a China-UK direct flight trial timetable. On March 18 and 25, travellers in London will be able to fly directly to Shanghai on a 12-hour trip, while flights from Shanghai to London will only take seven hours on March 20 and 27.

China Southern Airlines, in addition to Virgin Atlantic, said on February 25 that it would begin flights between Guangzhou and London as early as March 17. The schedules are only meant to be used as a guide and are subject to final government approval.