英中同意增加两国通航航班

Airlines will have the right to operate more than twice as many weekly services as at present between the UK and China under changes that the UK government said were part of building a “confident, global Britain after Brexit”.

航空公司将有权把英国和中国间的每周航班增加一倍以上，这是英国政府所称的打造“退欧后自信而全球化的英国”的改革的一部分。

The deal, agreed yesterday between representatives of the two governments, will increase the maximum number of weekly flights between the two countries to 200, from 80 at present.

昨天在英中两国政府代表间达成的这一协议，将把两国间每周航班的上限从目前的80次提升至200次。

Restrictions will also be lifted on the Chinese destinations to which airlines can fly.

对航空公司可开通航班的中国目的地的限制也会被解除。

It remains unclear how many new flights the deal will lead to, since Heathrow, which most operators would prefer to serve, is full to capacity.

目前仍不清楚该协议会导致新增多少航班，因为多数航空公司偏好的希思罗机场(Heathrow)容量已经满了。

Chinese airlines operate 38 flights a week between the two countries while UK airlines operate 29.

中国的航空公司每周执行38次中英航班，而英国的航空公司执行29次。

The rise was made possible after the two sides agreed to modify their bilateral aviation agreement, which had previously not only limited the number of flights each week but dictated that any UK airline could serve a maximum of six separate China destinations. The new deal discards those limits, giving UK airlines the right to operate to anywhere in China.

增加航班成为可能，是由于双方同意修改双边航空协议。此前该协议不仅限制每周航班数量，还要求英国任何航空公司最多只能开通前往六个中国目的地的航班。新协议废除了这种限制，令英国的航空公司有权运营飞抵中国任何地点的航班。

The deal is part of an effort to emphasise the UK’s continued openness to the wider world — particularly to emerging markets beyond Europe.

该协议试图强调，英国将继续对更广泛的世界保持开放——尤其是对欧洲以外的新兴市场。

“The move is set to boost tourism and trade opportunities for the UK, links which will be vital as we look to build a confident, global Britain after Brexit,” the Department for Transport said.

英国交通部(Department for Transport)表示：“在我们寻求打造退欧后自信而全球化的英国之际，此举将提振英国的旅游业和贸易机会，这些往来对我们将至关重要。”

Chris Grayling, transport secretary, called the deal a “big moment” for the UK. “Strong connections with emerging markets like China are vital for us if we are to continue competing on the global economic stage,” he said.

英国交通大臣克里斯•格雷林(Chris Grayling)称，该协议的达成对英国来说是个“伟大时刻”。他说：“如果我们要继续在全球经济舞台上竞争，与中国这样的新兴市场保持强有力联系至关重要。”

The DfT said it was a commercial decision for airlines whether or not to operate additional flights. “It’s not something that government mandates,” it t said. “But we are hopeful that companies will take that decision.”

英国交通部表示，是否增加航班将是航空公司的商业决定。该部表示：“这不是政府的强制性规定。但我们对企业作出这一决定充满希望。”

British Airways, the UK’s biggest long-haul airline by passenger numbers, did not immediately respond to questions about whether it would expand its flights to China.

英国乘客人数最多的远程航空公司英国航空(British Airways)没有马上回应是否会增加英中航班的问题。