Edinburgh Airport is seeking to partner with a Chinese airline on new direct flights to Shanghai and Hong Kong following the success of its connection with Beijing, the only direct air passenger route between Scotland and China.

Hainan Airlines resumed direct flights between Edinburgh and Beijing in 2023, initially operating seasonally from March to October before scaling up to year-round service last year.

Chief executive Gordon Dewar told The Scotsman that the Beijing flights have enjoyed “really strong growth” and the airport sees demand for “further direct connectivity”.

The Hainan Airlines service has been particularly successful because the airline has “the advantage of being able to fly over Russian airspace, so have a much more direct route”, Mr Dewar noted.

Shanghai and Hong Kong are now the airport’s main targets for further expansion.

Mr Dewar said: “That’s about trying to get airlines – largely the Chinese airlines – to put us high up the agenda and try and get these direct services. That’s been an ongoing conversation.”

A spokesperson for Edinburgh Airport told the newspaper: “We continue to explore opportunities across North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, building on our strong existing network.

“With Scotland’s only direct route to China, we’re keen to see further growth in the Far East and India.

“There is strong demand for international travel and we want to ensure Scotland remains well connected to the markets that matter most for tourism, trade and investment.”