Heilongjiang Airlines launched a flight on July 16 connecting Harbin in Northeast China’s Heilongjiang province to Yinchuan, in Northwest China’s Ningxia Hui autonomous region.

The flight is served by Airbus A321/A320 and runs every day as flight numbers of LT4317/8.

It is the first flight route launched by Heilongjiang Airlines to the northwestern regions.

Airline officials said it meets the increasing travel demand between the two cities during the summer holiday and will boost regional culture exchanges and trade development.

The flight departs Harbin at 10:40 and arrives at Yinchuan Hedong International Airport at 14:00.

The return flight time differs according to dates. It departs Yinchuan at 16:30  and arrives at Harbin Taiping International Airport at 19:30 every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. On Mondays it departs Yinchuan at 14:00  and departs Yinchuan at 18:30 on Wednesdays.

The flight carried 162 passengers from Harbin to Yinchuan on the first day, with a load factor of 87 percent; and the return flight arrived in Harbin with 160 passengers and a load factor of 86 percent.

Officials said Heilongjiang Airlines is going to launch flights linking Harbin to Shenzhen, Beijing and Sanya very soon.

Passengers board the Harbin-Yinchuan bound plane at Harbin Taiping International Airport on July 16. [Photo/Harbin Daily]

The first Harbin-Heilongjiang flight, which is operated by Heilongjiang Airlines, arrives at Yinchuan Hedong International Airport on July 16. [Photo/Xinhua]

Heilongjiang Airlines flight attendants celebrate the launch of the Harbin-Yinchuan flight at Yinchuan Hedong International Airport on July 16. [Photo/Xinhua]