British Airways hopes UK is added to China’s visa-free scheme

Published 09/07/2025, 11:56
British Airways hopes UK is added to China’s visa-free scheme

Investing.com -- British Airways is advocating for the United Kingdom (TADAWUL:4280) to be included in China’s 30-day visa-free program to boost travel demand after the airline suspended its Beijing flights last year.

Neil Chernoff, British Airways’ Chief Planning and Strategy Officer, told media in Shanghai on Wednesday that the airline is collaborating with both UK and Chinese governments to secure Britain’s inclusion in the visa waiver scheme.

"We’re working with the UK government and diplomatically with the China government around seeing if we can get the UK into that programme," Chernoff said. "I think that that’s one way that we can improve demand."

China has been expanding its 30-day visa-free program, which covered 55 countries as of June. While the UK is not currently part of this scheme, British passport holders were included in a 240-hour transit visa-free policy last year.

British Airways, part of International Airlines Group (LON:ICAG), suspended its flights to Beijing in October. The airline was among several international carriers that cut Chinese routes due to challenges including the ban on flying over Russian airspace and slower than anticipated recovery in Chinese travel following the COVID-19 pandemic.

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