Chongqing - On February 7, Hainan Airlines announced the first direct flight from Southwest China's Chongqing municipality to Milan, Italy, starting March 19. This marks the airline's fourth direct European route from Chongqing, joining services to Rome, Madrid, and Paris.

This new route from Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport to Milan Malpensa International Airport, departing at 02:00 Beijing time and arriving at 06:45 local time, cuts travel time between China and Italy from 20 hours with layovers to under 12 hours non-stop.

Fabio Schina, Consul General of the Consulate General of Italy in Chongqing, highlighted that the Chongqing-Milan route would greatly promote the cultural and commercial exchanges between Italy and China. 

Schina pointed out the consistent growth in trade between Italy and Chongqing and the increasing number of Italian tourists exploring Chongqing annually. He underscored the importance of such connectivity in enabling deeper cultural understanding and exchange between the people of Italy and China, two of the world's most culturally rich countries.

Hainan Airlines aims to make Chongqing a major international aviation hub, with President Zhu Tao highlighting the airline's commitment to offering the most intercontinental routes from the city. The airline plans to expand routes along the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC) to boost Chongqing's global connectivity.

Besides, Zhang Naifu, General Manager of the International Department at Hainan Airlines, revealed plans to extend the airline's network to include major cities in Europe, North America, and Australia, thereby creating a comprehensive intercontinental network centered in Chongqing. This expansion involves enhancing domestic transit options and flight frequencies to solidify Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport's role as an international hub.

Zhang Naifu is the general manager of the international department at Hainan Airlines. (Photo/Zheng Ran)

The Chongqing-Milan flights will run twice a week, Tuesdays and Fridays, bookable via Hainan Airlines' platforms, featuring promotional fares on a first-come-first-served basis.

Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport currently operates 21 international passenger routes with over 110 weekly flights, connecting to major global cities across Europe, Australia, the Middle East, and Asia.

Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport currently offers 21 international routes with more than 110 weekly flights to key cities in Europe, Australia, the Middle East, and Asia. (Graphic/ Chen Yingzhu)