In a significant step towards enhancing northern connectivity, the maiden flight of the Harbin-Blagoveshchensk route took off from Harbin Taiping International Airport in Harbin, capital city of Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, at 1:13 am on June 12.
 
Operated by Russia's Irrero Airlines with the SU95 aircraft, this new route is a pivotal move by Heilongjiang Airports Management Group in supporting Heilongjiang province's northern opening strategy.
 
The flight represents the shortest air connection between Harbin and Russia, with a flight time of just under one hour.
 
This route operates weekly on Wednesdays, under the flight numbers IO775/6. Departures from Blagoveshchensk are scheduled for 11:05 pm on Tuesdays, arriving in Harbin at 0:15 am the following day. The return flight departs Harbin at 1:15 am, landing in Blagoveshchensk at 2:05 am. All times are Beijing Time.
 
With this new addition, the Harbin airport now offers seven routes to Russia, connecting to key cities such as Khabarovsk, Yakutsk, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Krasnoyarsk, Vladivostok, Irkutsk, and Blagoveshchensk.
 
This expansion significantly enhances Heilongjiang's international passenger transport capacity, refines its route network, and facilitates smoother international travel between China and Russia.
 
Moreover, it is expected to bolster Sino-Russian economic and trade exchanges and promote tourism development between the two nations.