British Airways 'thrilled' to be back in Hong Kong

British Airways' first passenger flight from London landed in Hong Kong yesterday after a year of pandemic restrictions.

Flight BA31 departed from London Heathrow Airport at 5.50pm on Monday (London time) and arrived in Hong Kong at 3.02pm, the airline said.

Starting from Monday, the airline will operate four flights a week from Hong Kong International Airport to Heathrow. They are on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, departing at 11.05pm.

Another four will fly out of London to Hong Kong on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, arriving here at 2.40pm.

From December 19, British Airways will have one flight a day to and from Hong Kong. Its head of sales of Asia Pacific, Noella Ferns, said London has always been one of the most popular destinations for Hong Kong passengers.

"It also serves as a major gateway to Europe for both business and leisure travelers," she said.

"Today we are thrilled to return to Hong Kong once again and play our part in connecting the two global financial hubs.

"We have more than 85 years of history and presence in Hong Kong and still counting."

The airline also launched competitive fares and additional baggage allowance for Hong Kong students going to the UK, including special student fares traveling to selected destinations in Britain or Europe via Heathrow.

Students can enjoy more flexibility by changing their travel plans without extra fees.

Passengers taking the flight between Hong Kong and London will be traveling on a Boeing Dreamliner 787-9 jet, which is BA's most fuel-efficient aircraft.

The plane features an LED mood lighting system in the cabin and lower air pressure that help passengers to travel more comfortably and minimize the effect of jet-lag on the journey.

Each window has a dimmer switch to alter the amount of light coming into the cabin.

The air on all flights is fully recycled once every two to three minutes with a system that removes microscopic bacteria and virus clusters.

Sophie.hui@singtaonewscorp.com