Chinese carrier Hainan Airlines plans to start flights from Beijing to Tel Aviv beginning in September.
The airline said it has applied for authorization from Israel’s Civil Aviation Authority to operate three weekly direct flights.
Flights would operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays – the days that rival El Al does not fly on the same route.
The application by Hainan, which claims to be China’s largest privately owned airline, was backed by Israel’s tourism minister Uzi Landau, tourism ministry director-general Amir Halevy and Israeli Ambassador to China Matan Vilnai, all of whom convinced the airline of its economic viability.
"I welcome this important step which can be leveraged with economic growth and increased tourism," said tourism minister Uzi Landau.
