LONDON's Heathrow Airport has launched two new direct routes from the Chinese cities of Wuhan and Sanya by China Southern, which an airport spokesperson said, will allow for over 6,000 tonnes of additional cargo capacity per year.
Both destinations are a first for direct routes into Heathrow, while the connection to Sanya is a first for Europe.
However, in a comment aimed at the continuing political debate around the construction of a third runway at Heathrow, the spokesperson added: 'Due to capacity constraints, European hub airports continue to have a competitive advantage in connecting to China.'
China Southern has launched a three times a week service to Wuhan, a mega-city referred to as the 'Chicago of China', before beginning a twice weekly scheduled service to the popular tourist destination of Sanya on Hainan Island from July 12.
Added the airport spokesperson: Last year's services to China via Heathrow contributed GBP510 million (US$677 million) to the UK economy, and supported up to 15,000 jobs, according to Frontier Economics.
'While connections to Chinese cities are clearly valuable to the UK, rival European Union (EU) hub airports with capacity to connect directly to 10 other Chinese destinations, including mega cities like Hangzhou, Chengdu, and Kunming, are facilitating more trade and investment to their respective countries.'
The UK government is expected to vote on a National Policy Statement on Heathrow's plans for expansion, including a third runway, over the coming weeks, reports London Air Cargo News.
Expansion will allow the capacity to offer up to 40 new long haul destinations, as well as double its cargo capacity - providing the UK with trade infrastructure as the country is looking to extend its trade relationships after leaving the EU, a process commonly known as Brexit.
Both destinations are a first for direct routes into Heathrow, while the connection to Sanya is a first for Europe.
However, in a comment aimed at the continuing political debate around the construction of a third runway at Heathrow, the spokesperson added: 'Due to capacity constraints, European hub airports continue to have a competitive advantage in connecting to China.'
China Southern has launched a three times a week service to Wuhan, a mega-city referred to as the 'Chicago of China', before beginning a twice weekly scheduled service to the popular tourist destination of Sanya on Hainan Island from July 12.
Added the airport spokesperson: Last year's services to China via Heathrow contributed GBP510 million (US$677 million) to the UK economy, and supported up to 15,000 jobs, according to Frontier Economics.
'While connections to Chinese cities are clearly valuable to the UK, rival European Union (EU) hub airports with capacity to connect directly to 10 other Chinese destinations, including mega cities like Hangzhou, Chengdu, and Kunming, are facilitating more trade and investment to their respective countries.'
The UK government is expected to vote on a National Policy Statement on Heathrow's plans for expansion, including a third runway, over the coming weeks, reports London Air Cargo News.
Expansion will allow the capacity to offer up to 40 new long haul destinations, as well as double its cargo capacity - providing the UK with trade infrastructure as the country is looking to extend its trade relationships after leaving the EU, a process commonly known as Brexit.