Gatwick Airport seeks more partners in nation

Gatwick Airport is looking for partnerships with more Chinese airlines as the number of tourists to the UK is expected to grow further in the years ahead, a senior executive of the facility said.

Stephen King, vice-president of Gatwick's airline relations, said the airport is stepping up efforts to facilitate Chinese airlines efficiently and tailor services for an increasing number of Chinese passengers since the facility is part of a major network in Europe.

"At Gatwick, airlines will be able to operate efficiently, with sufficient landing slots. And passengers will have a very China-friendly experience," King said in an interview with China Daily.

Gatwick Airport, also known as London Gatwick, is the second-busiest airport by total passenger traffic in the UK. It serves 46 million passengers annually. Chinese passengers now account for a small proportion of those passengers, King explained.

"I expect the number of Chinese travelers to continue to grow. And I do expect them to keep choosing London as a destination, and therefore also London Gatwick," he said.

The innovative use of technology is one of Gatwick's advantages over other airports, King said. He cited the fact Gatwick introduced the UK's first airport electric car sharing service and self-boarding technology.

To meet the ever-increasing demand from Chinese travelers, Air China started a new service that flies directly from Gatwick to Shanghai earlier this month. China Eastern Airlines will increase its direct flights to a daily service this winter from three times weekly. In total, 11 weekly flights are now available from Gatwick to Shanghai.

The airport is discussing cooperation with other Chinese airlines and cities, King said. He did not elaborate further.

Gatwick's enthusiasm for the China market has been fueled by the burgeoning number of tourists to the UK. Figures from travel data firm ForwardKeys showed that the number of tourists visiting the UK from China climbed almost 20 percent year-on-year this summer.

Cargo volume is also expected to rise. This factor is a vital part of the profitability of a long-haul flight, King said.

"As the volumes of long-haul passenger flights increase, then so too will the volumes of cargo growth," he said, adding that Gatwick will ensure an efficient cargo process.

Gatwick's cargo volumes grew 24 percent year-on-year in 2018.

In the January-October period this year, China-UK trade volume reached 488.6 billion yuan ($69.5 billion), up 13.3 percent year-on-year, data from China's General Administration of Customs showed.

King said China remains one of the largest growing economies in the world when asked about its prospects going forward. He said: "Although there may be a small softening of the Chinese economy, we still expect to see more Chinese passengers visit the UK in the next few years."

Dai Bin, director of the China Tourism Academy, said the rising incomes of Chinese people coupled with their strong willingness to travel abroad would drive growth in the tourism market.

He said the number of Chinese traveling overseas reached 81.29 million in the first half of 2019, up 14 percent year-on-year.