Hainan Airlines is expanding its network in Canada with new nonstop flights from Beijing to Calgary.
The Chinese carrier will operate three flights a week to Calgary starting June 30 and expects to increase that to four weekly flights later in the year.
The 12-hour flights will be operated by Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
It is Hainan’s first route in Western Canada.
The airline has been flying direct to Toronto since 2010.
Stephan Poirier, chief commercial officer for the Calgary Airport Authority said the airport has been working for several years to land direct flights to China.
"A lot of people said this was impossible. For us to carve a niche and be able to show that a flight like this would be profitable was extremely difficult and long. An influx of inbound tourism is exactly what the city needs right now," he said.
"This route will further enhance cross-cultural and economic exchanges between China and Canada, and provide excellent services for our valued passengers," Hainan’s vice president Hou Wei said in a press release.
