China Airlines will start flying direct to the UK later this year.

The Taiwanese national carrier will kick off its new non-stop service between Taipei and London’s Gatwick Airport on 1 December 2017, using its Airbus A350 aircraft. Flights will operate four times a week.

As well as offering a direct link between the capitals of the UK and Taiwan, CAL is positioning the service as a potential “Kangaroo Route” between the UK and Australasia. Also from 1 December, the airline will increase its Taipei-Sydney route to two flights per day, while its Taipei-Brisbane-Auckland route will be upgraded to daily flights.

The new Taipei-London services will run every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday in both directions. CAL will serve the route using its newest long-haul aircraft, the A350-900, which features 32 seats in business class, 31 in premium economy and 243 in economy.