Today, Hainan Airlines, a unit of HNA Group and mainland China’s only Skytrax Five-Star airline, announced new direct flight services between Beijing, Dublin and Edinburgh, scheduled to start on June 12. The routes, which are the first direct flights offered from Beijing to Dublin and Edinburgh, will be serviced by an Airbus A330 wide-body aircraft on every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday.

At a ceremony at the Irish Embassy in Beijing, Hainan Airlines signed cooperation agreements with the Dublin Airport, the Edinburgh Airport, Tourism Ireland and VisitScotland, seeking to play a leading role in deepening economic and cultural ties between the countries of China, Ireland and Great Britain.

Ireland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Coveney, Irish Ambassador to China Eoin O’Leary, British Ambassador to China Martyn Roper and Hainan Airlines Chairman Bao Qifa, among other guests, were present at the announcement.

The Irish Deputy Prime Minister, Simon Coveney said, “I’m pleased to see that Hainan Airlines will launch the first non-stop service between Beijing and Dublin, providing the convenience of a direct route between the two countries for tourists, students studying abroad and business travellers going to China and Ireland. The new service will go a long way in promoting bilateral relations between the two countries, and further enhance the connection between Dublin and Edinburgh.”

The Hainan Airlines chairman, Bao Qifa said, “As a trusted brand and a five-star airline, Hainan Airlines, is guided by its mission of creating a better life for people. The launch of the Beijing-Dublin-Edinburgh route will not only provide convenience for tourists, but also promote multilateral cultural integration, helping to boost the economies of China, Britain and Ireland.”