Summary
- Virgin Atlantic and China Eastern have announced a brand new codeshare agreement, allowing seamless connections to onward destinations from Shanghai Pudong.
- The partnership strengthens Virgin Atlantic’s commitment to China and East Asia, with the aim of meeting continued demand for travel within the region.
- Virgin’s Flying Club Gold and Silver members and China Eastern’s Miles loyalty program members can enjoy SkyPriority perks and earn points on codeshare flights.
Virgin Atlantic and China Eastern have announced a brand new codeshare agreement that can see the 2 carriers share a terminal at Shanghai Pudong. Virgin customers can hook up with several Chinese destinations, while Heathrow connections for China Eastern passengers await approval.
Virgin and China Eastern codeshare partnership
The 2 SkyTeam Alliance members will strengthen their relationship with the newly announced agreement. The primary stage of the partnership will enable Virgin customers to enjoy seamless connections to onward destinations from Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) on one ticket, including Chengdu, Changsha, Qingdao, Shenzhen and Xi’an.
Juha Jarvinen, Chief Business Officer at Virgin Atlantic, commented,
At a later stage and subject to government approval, China Eastern passengers can connect from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to several African and Caribbean destinations, including Cape Town, Johannesburg, Jamaica, Lagos and Nassau.
Photo: Fasttailwind | Shutterstock
Virgin Atlantic returned to Shanghai in May 2023 after a three-year hiatus through the COVID pandemic and currently operates a every day frequency between LHR and PVG. Served by its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, Cirium data shows the airline offers over 3,600 weekly seats on this route.
Virgin said in a press release,
China Eastern flies a double-daily on this route with its Boeing 777-300ER fleet, while British Airways is the one other Heathrow-based airline flying to Shanghai with a every day 787-9 service. PVG also has connections to the UK’s capital via London Gatwick Airport (LGW), with China Eastern and Air China operating every day flights on this route. The truth is, China Eastern now boasts over half the market share of London-Shanghai flights.
Loyalty perks
Virgin’s Flying Club Gold and Silver members and China Eastern’s Miles loyalty programs can enjoy SkyPriority perks like priority check-in, boarding and extra baggage allowance when flying out of Shanghai Pudong.
Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club: The Easy Flying Guide
Here’s all you want to know in regards to the newest SkyTeam member’s loyalty program.
Members will earn points for his or her respective loyalty programs on all codeshare flights, while the choice to spend Virgin Points is coming soon too.
Sharing Shanghai’s Terminal One
Since November, the 2 airlines have co-located at PVG’s Terminal One, making the airport experience easier for purchasers.
Photo: NG-Spacetime | Shutterstock
Virgin Atlantic is SkyTeam’s newest member, having officially joined in March 2023, while China Eastern is closing in on 13 years within the alliance, joining in June 2011. The British carrier also signed a codeshare agreement with Korean Air early last 12 months to reinforce its Asian presence.
Have you ever ever flown between London and Shanghai? Which carrier did you fly with? Tell us your experiences within the comments.