Tianjin Airlines announces new route, extends China-Britain service

China's Tianjin Airlines Tuesday announced launching a new flight route from London to Xi'an, capital of China's Shaanxi province in May 2017. The new flight service will be operated on an Airbus A330-200 aircraft with 18 business class and 242 economy class seats. The total flight time to Xi'an is around 10 hours and the aircraft will then continue onto Tianjin. The airline, which launched its first British route from London Gatwick airport this June, will also increase its twice-weekly service to three flights per week in next summer. The service currently departs every Wednesday and Saturday from Gatwick, arriving in China the following day. Tianjin Airlines, a subsidiary of HNA Group, currently operates a fleet of nearly 90 aircraft to more than 100 destinations throughout China from its eight hubs. China and Britain have been strengthening the aviation cooperation. Officials from both sides agreed on a deal to more than double the number of flights allowed to be operated between the two countries last month.<br/>