Direct Beijing-Lhasa summer flight launched

Air China, the country's biggest carrier, has just launched summer direct flights between Beijing and Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region. The carrier says the move is to meet the surging demand during the summer tourism peak.

237 passengers were on the flight that left Beijing at 7 on Friday morning. Previously, travelers had to transfer at Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan, the province neighboring Tibet. The new flight cuts travel time by two hours.

Captain Jiang Rui, CA Flight 4112 to Lhasa, Air China, said, "Now the flight takes just under four hours. This makes it more convenient for travelers by saving time and extra procedures. The arrangement is mainly to meet the demand in the summer tourism peak. We're using an A-330, which can carry some 280 passengers."

This is not the first time for direct service between Beijing and Lhasa. But the flight is only direct one way. On the return to Beijing, the plane will stop in Chengdu. Air China says this is because many tourists prefer to continue visit Sichuan or other places first.

Captain Jiang Rui said, "Lhasa is on a plateau. We've taken many geographic factors into consideration. We have special procedures for crew selection and we have a very good safety record."

Air China says there will be one direct flight every day. Other flights to Lhasa via Chengdu will remain unchanged. Tibet is now a popular destination for both home and overseas tourists. In the first half of this year, visitor numbers topped one and a half million. The forecast for the entire year is more than 4 million.

Tourism is a vital part of Tibet's economy. Easing transport is expected to attract more tourists and to inject impetus into the region's growth.