Xiamen Airlines launches direct Hangzhou-Melbourne flights

HANGZHOU, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Xiamen Airlines, a subsidiary of China Southern Airlines, launched a direct service from Hangzhou in east China's Zhejiang Province to Melbourne on Saturday.

This is the first non-stop service linking the two cities. A Boeing 787 will operate two round trip flights a week. The flights take about 10 hours 30 minutes each way, slashing the travel time by three to five hours compared with previous connecting flights by way of Guangzhou or Hong Kong.

The launch of the intercontinental air route coincides with the 45th anniversary of the establishment of China-Australia diplomatic relations as well as the "China-Australia Year of Tourism 2017," which brings east China and Oceania closer, said Che Shanglun, chairman of the airline. Enditem