Air France has sought to further strengthen its role as the leading European airline to China with the introduction of flights to Wuhan, its fifth route into the country.

The airline is the first to link Europe with Wuhan, operating three times a week from its international base at Paris-Charles de Gaulle.

With seven daily flights to Paris from London-Heathrow and regular connections from ten UK regional airports, Air France also gives UK travellers easy access to its expanding network to the world’s second-largest economic region.

Air France was the first European carrier to start services between Europe and China when it inaugurated its Paris-Shanghai service in 1966.

The Air France-KLM Group, together with its SkyTeam alliance partners, China Southern and China Eastern, now offer 135 weekly flights to nine destinations in Greater China.

These include Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Xiamen, Wuhan and Taipei.

“With 36 daily flights to 21 destinations in Asia, Air France-KLM is the leading airline group to the Far East.

“By launching the first non-stop flights from Europe to Wuhan today, Air France reaffirms its commitment and leading position in China.

“We continuously invest in our Asian network and are happy to be contributing to the economic development of this region,” stated Henri Hourcade, general manager, Air France-KLM UK & Ireland.