Hainan Airlines will open a new direct air route from Beijing to Bishkek on Nov. 15. Promoting mutual communication and cooperation in the field of politics, economy and culture, this first-ever direct air route between the capitals of China and Kyrgyzstan will erect a new silk road in air. In the end of the year, it's remarkable that Hainan Airlines will open this "non-popular" air route.

While other airline companies are trying to enter the European or American markets, Hainan Airlines chooses Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, as its new destination because of the steady growth of demands there and frequent commercial communications, which represents an international leading strategy of development and its ambition in Central Asian air travel market.

One official said, that at present Hainan Airlines is the only airline company, which has a direct service from Beijing to Bishkek. The company will use Boeing 767-300ER to operate the flights, which features 32 business- and 198 economy-class seats, providing every passenger with comfortable travel service.

The official emphasized that the opening of this air route will also provide passengers who travel to Central Asia with more convenient and economical transit route, which will save them from time-consuming transfers in Urumchi or Tashkent.

And by means of the hub capacity of Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA), this new route can bring passengers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and other Central Asian countries to every part of the world, which will also enhance the diffusive capacity of the airline itself.

It was said that during the early stage, the service will be arranged once a week, which means the plane will take-off from Beijing on Saturdays at 17:50, and arrive in Bishkek at 21:40 the same day; on the return trip the plane will take-off from Bishkek at 23:20, and arrive in Beijing at 06:30 the next morning (all local times).

Kyrgyzstan is a Central Asian inland country with a population of 5.17 million, and it borders with Kazakhstan to the North, Uzbekistan to the West, Tadzhikistan to the South, and is neighbored with China's Xinjiang to the Southeast. Bishkek, the capital of the country, is located in Valley Chuhe, with the population of 900 thousand people. In recent years, it has become a famous city in Central Asia and an important trading center.

According to Liu Chuanwu, China's commercial and business counselor to Kyrgyzstan, in recent years, financial exchanges and communications between China and Kyrgyzstan have developed rapidly and successfully. From 2002 to 2007, the volume of China-Kyrgyzstan trade has been increasing at approximately 70% annually, and Kyrgyzstan has become China's second biggest trading partner in Central Asia, while China is the fifth biggest trading partner of Kyrgyzstan.