BEIJING, December 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

Air China officially launched direct daily rotations between Beijing and Lhasa on December 15, the first time that direct scheduled flights between the two cities are available.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20080625/CNW017LOGO )

Air China uses its A319s which have been retrofitted to acclimatize to the plateau conditions on the route. The crew has rich experiences of flying over the Roof of the World. The flights are operated on a daily basis and the flight numbers are CA4125/6. One journey takes just 4 hours, which means the flight takes 2 hours less than the previous one that had to stop over in the city of Chengdu. For the time being, the service is the only non-stop flight between the two cities. In high season, Air China will use larger Airbus330 aircraft on the route.

Air China has been actively involved in promoting the formation of the air transport network serving Tibet and helping further the progress of the autonomous region in areas of economy, culture and tourism. Now, Air China offers flights between Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing and Kathmandu (the capital of Nepal) and Tibet where Lhasa, Linzhi and Bangda are served. Factor in the direct rotations introduced on December 15, and Air China now operates over 100 flights a week into and out of Tibet. The introduction of the new rotations gives travelers more travel options and will play an instrumental role in bringing more travelers to Tibet and thusly promoting local economic growth.

SOURCE Air China