China Southern has started operating twice-weekly flights between London Gatwick and Zhengzhou this week.
The flights are the only direct service between London and he Chinese city which is the capital of Henan province and has a population of more than 10 million people.
China Southern, the country’s largest airline, will fly the route using Boeing 787-8 aircraft.
London Gatwick is also served by Air China and China Eastern and now has
16 flights per week to China, with two daily services to Shanghai
already operating.
Stephanie Wear, VP aviation development, London Gatwick said: "We are delighted to welcome China Southern to London Gatwick. China is a hugely important market for us, our passengers, and the regional economy, so it’s fantastic news for London and the South East to have China’s three major airlines operating from Gatwick for the first time."