Direct flight links Central China, Africa

CHANGSHA - An air route was launched Wednesday to link Changsha, capital city of Central China's Hunan province, with Nairobi, capital of Kenya, the operator said.

Operated by China Southern Airlines with an Airbus 330, the outbound flight departed Changsha Huanghua International Airport at around 1 am in Changsha.

With more than 200 passengers onboard, the flight is scheduled to take 11.5 hours to arrive in Nairobi.

The flight is to be operated every Wednesday and Sunday, said Yang Bin, general manager of the airlines' Hunan branch. The return flight will take off at 12:50 pm and land in Changsha at 6:15 am the next day.

The first China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo will be held in Changsha between June 27 and 29. The opening of the new air route will not only provide new travel options for passengers but also facilitate mutual exchanges and cooperation.