New direct flight from Gatwick to Chengdu promises panda encounters
It is perhaps best known in Europe - if it is known at all - for its proliferation of pandas. And, as of next month, British travellers will be able to enjoy a closer glimpse of the world's best-loved black-and-white bear, via the launch of a direct service to Chengdu.
上海から高松航空券Air China has announced that it will begin offering a non-stop service between Gatwick and what is China's fourth biggest city at the end of next week (July 3). The connection will use the Airbus A330-300, which will take off from London three times a week - on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. The flight will take just short of 11 hours.
The air link is likely to be viewed as a boon for business. Chengdu - the capital of Sichuan province, which sits roughly at the heart of China - has become one of the country's fastest growing cities, with a population of almost 12 million people. Over 250 "Fortune 500" companies have offices in its centre.
Its development has also seen a surge in traffic at its airport, which is now the 26th busiest on the planet, welcoming just under 50 million passengers a year according to the most recent figures (making it busier than the main airports in each of Las Vegas, Barcelona, Mumbai and Toronto).
The news has been enthusiastically greeted by Gatwick Airport, with its chief commercial officer Guy Stephenson explaining that "Chengdu is a strategically important destination and a major logistical hub, so this new route – the UK’s only direct flight - opens up a range of opportunities throughout central and western China, be it by air, road or rail."
UK visitors now also have a fast, direct route to Chengdu, one of China’s most culturally significant destination."
However, tourists fascinated by the Far East's biggest country are more likely to be interested in the access the new connection provides to Chengdu Panda Base.
This - the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, to give it its full title - is the facility which has been attempting to reverse the slump in panda numbers since it was founded 31 years ago.
