The Royal Dutch Airlines has announced in Beijing that it will launch a direct air route between Chengdu, capital city of Southwest China's Sichuan Province and Amsterdam, capital of the Netherlands since May 28 this year.

 

This will be the first direct route linking China's southwest with Europe. The new route will take 11 hours from Chengdu to Amsterdam.

 

A senior official with the Royal Dutch Airlines said the airlines will also share codes with the China Southern Airlines when the new route is operational.

 

(Xinhua News Agency February 7, 2006)