Passengers queue to board the maiden direct flight from Sanya to Macao. [Photo by Li Pengcheng/hinews.cn]
The maiden flight from Sanya in Hainan province to the Macao Special Administrative Region took off on July 9.
Operated by Hainan Airlines with a flight number of HU7949/50, the new flight is scheduled for each Monday and Friday. It takes off in Sanya at 7:00 pm and arrives in Macao at 8:30 pm. It then departs at 9:35 pm and reaches Sanya at 11:05 pm.
Data show that Sanya received 2,079 Macao tourists from January to May this year without a direct flight. The route will further mobilize rapid development of the tourism industry in the two areas and be convenient for locals.
Sanya has recently released a tourism mode integrating traditional Chinese medicine with sightseeing targeting the peak tourist season in the summer vacation. Thanks to the new flight, the city also plans to actively promote tourism resources in surrounding cities and counties including Ledong, Lingshui and Baoting to increase economic benefit.
So far, Sanya has opened direct flights linking it to Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. Its air route network layout will boost the establishment of the China (Hainan) Pilot Free Trade Zone and a free trade port with Chinese characteristics.
The aircrew before the maiden flight between Sanya and Macao [Photo by Li Pengcheng/hinews.cn]
Overview
Haikou 
Sanya 
