A XiamenAir Boeing 787 Dreamliner taxis on the runway after landing on its maiden flight at London Heathrow Airport on Sept 6. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

XiamenAir launched direct passenger flights between Xiamen, China, and London, United Kingdom on Sept 6, opening the first nonstop air link between the British capital and Fujian, a coastal province in eastern China known for its maritime trade and overseas Chinese communities.

The service will operate three times a week, on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Flights MF821 and MF822 will be operated by Boeing 787 aircraft, with the outbound flight leaving Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport at 12:50 am and arriving at Heathrow at 6:35 am. The return flight departs London at 12:35 pm and arrives at Xiamen at 7:00 am the following day. The flight time is about 12 hours in each direction.

The new service adds Xiamen to a growing network of direct air links between China and the UK with Chinese carriers already serving several major UK gateways.

It gives passengers from Fujian a direct connection to London and offers new options for travelers from other parts of China and the Asia Pacific. Passengers from Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Nanjing, Hangzhou, and Changsha, as well as Sydney, Melbourne, and Bangkok, can connect through Xiamen to London.

The early arrival at Heathrow also allows passengers to continue to destinations across Europe, such as Denmark, Sweden, and Ireland.

The route comes as trade, travel and people-to-people exchanges between China and the UK continue to grow. Fujian has a large community of overseas Chinese in Britain, while many students from the province study in the UK. The new service is expected to make travel for business, education, and family visits more convenient.

Xiamen has long looked outward. Located on the Taiwan Strait, the coastal city has grown through maritime trade and international commerce. Its port, airport, and manufacturing industries connect it with markets across Asia and beyond. The city is also part of the wider Minnan cultural region, whose traditions and overseas connections extend across Southeast Asia.

Officials and crew pose after the inaugural Xiamen-London flight at London Heathrow Airport on Sept 6. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Xiamen is also a gateway to southern Fujian, home to places such as the historic port city of Quanzhou and the iconic Fujian Tulou earthen buildings. The new London service adds a direct European link to a city whose connections with the outside world have long been part of its identity.

XiamenAir, a SkyTeam member since 2012, operates more than 400 domestic and international routes with a fleet of 211 aircraft. On Sept 7, a launch event in London brought together nearly 100 guests, including representatives from the Chinese embassy in the UK, VisitBritain, the governments of Fujian and Xiamen, Chinese companies, overseas Chinese communities, and Heathrow Airport.

Staff members hold signs promoting the new route in the Arrivals hall at London Heathrow Airport on Sept 6. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]