A ceremony to mark the first arrival of the Harbin-South Sakhalin flight is held on June 6. [Photo/Department of Transportation of Heilongjiang Province]

On the morning of June 6, after a 2-hour and 40-minute flight, the Russian Aurora Airlines flight HZ4698 successfully arrived at Harbin Taiping International Airport in Harbin, the capital city of China's northernmost Heilongjiang province.

It marked the official opening of the South Sakhalin-Harbin international air route.

Following the Harbin-Khabarovsk and Harbin-Vladivostok routes, this new passenger route is the latest addition to Aurora Airlines' network.
 
A ceremony to mark the first arrival of the Harbin-South Sakhalin flight is held on June 6. [Photo/Department of Transportation of Heilongjiang Province]​

The opening of this new air route between Sakhalin Oblast and Heilongjiang province brings numerous benefits to both Chinese and Russian passengers. It provides them with an additional travel and transit option, facilitating convenient and efficient transportation between the two regions. Moreover, the air route plays a vital role in strengthening the economic and trade cooperation between Sakhalin Oblast and Heilongjiang province.