Airline chiefs plan new year visit to discuss direct flights

CHINESE airline executives will visit Scotland in the new year to begin talks about establishing direct flights between the two countries, Alex Salmond said yesterday.

Mr Salmond, who is accompanying 40 firms on a week-long trade mission to China, said that the Scottish Government was “determined” to “take forward” plans for the air routes.

The First Minister said that a deal with China’s Hainan Airlines would be a “great boost” to Scottish business and jobs, leading to an expansion in trade.

David Lonsdale, CBI Scotland assistant director, welcomed the talks as “encouraging” and called for action to help deliver access to “fast-growing overseas markets” for Scottish firms.

Meanwhile, Mr Salmond said that “high-level” officials in China are now looking at the business case for the air links between the two nations.

He said: “As part of our strategy to support economic growth, the Scottish Government is determined to improve our international air connections – to help boost trade and tourism with key global markets such as China.

“We are now working closely with the Chinese government to establish a direct air link between our two nations, and I discussed this in my meeting with senior Chinese airline and aviation authority executives.

“A high-level industry team in China has now been established to examine the detailed business case and to work with Scottish Government officials and our agencies.

“I am very pleased that they will be coming to Scotland early in 2012 to continue this work.”