OREANDA-NEWS. In the winter of 2017/2018 Sichuan Airlines plans to commence scheduled flights from Pulkovo Airport to the capital of the Chinese province of Sichuan, Chengdu. The relevant memorandum of intent was signed on 25 July 2017 by the CEO of the St. Petersburg Airport managing company Northern Capital Gateway, Vladimir Yakushev and President of Sichuan Airlines, Li Haiying.

It is proposed that the scheduled direct service between St. Petersburg and Chengdu will be performed twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays on Airbus A330-300 aircraft accommodating up to 301 passengers.

“China remains one of the fastest growing flight route directions for Pulkovo. Based on the results of the first six months of 2017, the passenger traffic between St. Petersburg and CPR cities increased by more than 50% compared to the similar 2016 period and exceeded 70,000 people. Chengdu is in the list of strategic routes for the St. Petersburg airport and will become the fourth CPR destination for direct flights from the northern capital of Russia. We are confident that launching of regular airline connection will promote the mutual development of our regions, strengthen ties between our cities and increase passenger traffic”, Vladimir Yakushev noted at the agreement signing ceremony.

Chengdu is one of the most densely populated cities in China, and is a major business, commercial and cultural centre in the country. The world-famous Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is located in Chengdu.

In the 2017 summer season, scheduled direct flights are operated from Pulkovo to such cities in China as Ürümqi, Shanghai and Beijing, as well as charter flights to Beijing, Wuhan, Macau and Taipei. A new route was opened, connecting China and Europe: from Wuhan one can not only fly directly to St. Petersburg, but also travel to Liège (Belgium) via a connection at Pulkovo.