United Airlines to begin flights from LA to Shanghai with Business Class

United Airlines launched its first ever flight between LA and Shanghai on Friday 20th May.The airline will offer daily nonstop flights between Los Angeles International Airport and Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport, offering a direct link between the second largest city in the U.S and China’s most populous city.

The service is operated by a Boeing 777 with United’s First and Business seating options. United said that by the end of the year, both Business Class and First Class will feature new flatbed seats.Jim Compton, United’s executive vice president and chief revenue officer said,United operates more routes from the U.S. to China than any other airline, and this new service is another step in the expansion of our U.S.-China network.The new flights will offer customers additional convenient options for travel between the two countries.Flights will depart daily from LAX at 13:23, landing in Shanghai at 17:45 the following day. The return leg will leave Shanghai at 20:10, landing in LAX at 17:07 the same day. Flights are conveniently times so passengers will be able to catch connecting flights from Los Angeles to other cities throughout the Western U.S, Canada and Mexico.

The Boeing 777 being used on the new LA-Shanghai route has a three-class configuration with First and Business sections. United Airlines is upgrading its International First and Business Class cabins, so passengers travelling on the LA-Shanghai route can expect to find new flatbed seats in both cabins by the end of the year.Whilst some airlines advertise ‘flat’ seats that lie-flat at an angle, the new United Airlines flat seats lie completely horizontal at an angle of 180 degrees. The premium cabins are also equipped with 15.4-inch widescreen TVs offering 150 hours of on-demand movies and TV shows.First and Business Class passengers also enjoy priority baggage handling and priority boarding via separated lanes. Business class customers get to relax in the Red Carpet Club lounge before they depart, whilst First Class customers can rest in the United First International Lounge.

United Airlines has operated flights to China since 1986 and now offers nonstop flights to Beijing, Hong Kong and Shanghai from its hubs in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York and Washington.The Shanghai flights feature special products tailored to the Chinese market- music and movies are available in English and Mandarin, plus there are Chinese-speaking flight attendants on-board the aircraft as well as Chinese-speaking agents at check-in. The in-flight menu also features some Chinese meal options and is available printed in both Mandarin and English.