Sanya to London: The First Flight on July 12th, 12.5 Hours Direct

- The First Regular Route from Hainan to Europe Opened by CAAC

SANYA, China, June 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- On June 13th, Sanya Government and China Southern Airlines held a press conference in Sanya to announce that the first direct flight from Sanya to London will be launched on July 12th and the Airbus A330-200 wide-body jet will be put into service. This is the first regular route and the first international line from Hainan Province to European opened by CAAC after the policy of Hainan Free Tread Zone (Port) construction and the Visa-free Policy for 59 countries.

Two round-trip flights, coded CZ651/652, will take about 12.5 hours for one trip. The Sanya-London service will operate on Thursday and Sunday with flights departing Sanya at 13:15, arriving in London at 18:45, and the flights departing London at 22:10, arriving in Sanya at 16:00 the next day (all Local Time). The service will use the Airbus A330-200 wide-body jet with 4 cocoon first-class seats, 24 business-class seats and 187 economy-class seats as well as 9-inch personal TV for each seat.

China Southern Airlines Hainan Branch has a total of 35 aircraft based in Sanya and Haikou, and 61 routes, including Sanya - Guangzhou - Osaka, Haikou - Guangzhou - Seoul, originating from Hainan to 35 domestic and foreign cities as well as 37 domestic freight transportation destinations involving the Hainan market.

In 2017, Hainan focused on the development of European inbound tourism and took Europe as the emerging overseas tourist market. The Visa-free Policy was deployed since May 1st, 2018, and more than 19,115 visa-free tourists were accepted since then. 24 direct flights from Sanya to Russia, Indonesia and other countries have been launched till now, and more foreign tourists and direct Hainan Airlines routes are expected.

According to the relative officials, Europe market has become an emerging overseas tourists market for Sanya. The Sanya-London direct flight can contribute to the construction of Hainan Free Trade Pilot Zone (Port) by giving full play to Sanya's function in the 'Belt and Road' Initiative.

China Southern Airlines signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Hainan Huizhong International Travel Service Co., Ltd. to meet the outbound travel product needs of European tourists and to contribute to the smooth operation of the Sanya-London direct flight through the form of "air + travel agency".