China's Hainan Airlines to fly flagship Dreamliners on Manchester-Beijing route

LONDON — China's Hainan Airlines announced Tuesday it is to operate Boeing 787 Dreamliners on its route between Manchester and Beijing.

Airport officials in Manchester said the Chinese carrier will use its flagship aircraft on the route from May 1.

It follows the announcement last month that Hainan Airlines is to increase the frequency of its flights at Manchester from four per week to five.

The airline's Boeing 787 Dreamliners are fitted with 36 business-class flatbed seats and 177 economy seats.

"With state of the art technology, passengers will benefit from a quieter cabin and should feel more refreshed thanks to the better cabin pressure on board the aircraft," said a statement issued by Manchester Airport.

Loic Gao, general manager for Hainan Airlines in Manchester, said: "We are very excited to see our very first Dreamliner landing at Manchester Airport from the 1st of May. Having announced our increased frequency, it makes perfect sense to operate the Manchester route with our flagship aircraft."

Stephen Turner, commercial director for Manchester Airport, said: "It's great news that Hainan Airlines will be using their flagship aircraft on the Beijing service. Coupled with the news that they will be increasing frequency, it is testament to how successful the route has been performing."