Direct flights from Dublin to Beijing set for summer take-off

DIRECT flights between Dublin and mainland China are to be launched for the first time in June, the Irish Independent understands.

China’s Hainan Airlines will operate four weekly flights out of Dublin, although two will make brief stopovers in Edinburgh before travelling on to Beijing.

The route could open major investment opportunities between the two countries in advance of Brexit.

Tánaiste Simon Coveney, who is in China on a St Patrick’s Day trip, is to announce the new arrangements today.

Government sources confirmed the news, saying it was “a really significant development” after four years of work involving our embassy in Beijing and the Chinese authorities.

Hainan Airlines is China’s fourth-largest carrier and is owned by the huge HNA conglomerate, which also owns Dublin-based aircraft-leasing firm Avolon.

It is not yet clear how much a return flight will cost, but flights from Manchester are between €700 and €1,000.

The Irish Independent understands the first flights will take off from Dublin on June 12.

Two will be direct flights while the other two will originate in Dublin and stop for a short time in Edinburgh to pick up additional passengers before going on to Beijing.

This will also give a new option for short-haul travel between Ireland and Scotland.

This announcement comes on top of Cathay Pacific confirming on Monday that four non-stop flights per week from Dublin to Hong Kong will also begin in June.

“These direct air routes to Beijing and Hong Kong are game-changers for business and tourism between Ireland and China. We’re talking multi-billion euro of potential growth,” a source added.

Trade between Ireland and China has doubled in the past four years to €15bn during 2017.

A flight from Dublin to Beijing involves travelling around 8,300km and takes about of 10-and-a-half hours.

The flight route will take passengers from Dublin across northern England, Denmark, the Baltic States, Russia, Mongolia and into China.

It is estimated as many as 70,000 Chinese tourists visited Ireland last year.