China Southern Airlines will begin flights on 6 June 2012 between Heathrow and the country’s third largest city. There will be three flights a week from Terminal 4 and Heathrow will be the only UK airport served by the airline. China Southern Airlines is the largest airline in China and the sixth largest in the world, operating a fleet of more than 300 aircraft.

The deal has taken eight years to come to fruition with BAA first talking to the airline in 2004.  But with Heathrow operating at 99.2% of its permitted capacity, China Southern has had to wait for suitable take-off and landing slots to become available from other airlines before it has been able to add the new route.

Whilst welcoming the new service, BAA has used the opportunity to emphasise the national financial damage caused by lack of capacity at Heathrow and the need for a new runway.

“It is great news for the UK that China Southern is opening up a new route between Heathrow and Guangzhou. We are delighted that China Southern has chosen Heathrow, and we would like to welcome more flights from China Southern and other airlines that could bring jobs and growth to the UK. The centre of gravity in the world economy is shifting and Britain should be forging new links with economies like China. Instead a lack of hub airport capacity is causing us to fall further behind the rest of Europe.” said BAA chief executive Colin Matthews.