A China Southern Airlines plane with 272 passengers aboard took off from Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport for New York at 7:08 pm on Thursday, as the airline officially resumed flights to New York.
The round-trip between Guangzhou and New York City will operate twice a week — on Thursdays and Saturdays — according to a statement released by China Southern on Friday. The aircraft is a Boeing 777 model, it said.
The resumption of the round-trip direct flights will help promote the recovery of the international aviation market and help build a more convenient air bridge for trade and cultural exchanges between China and the United States, the statement said.
China Southern, the largest airline by fleet size in Asia, has officially transferred to Terminal 8 of John F. Kennedy International Airport, it said.
The airline's North American marketing center has been preparing for the resumption of flights since August.
A female passenger surnamed Chen said the direct flight provides passengers with a better travel choice. She said she was once afraid that she would not be able to deal with difficulties.
"Now I have staff at the airport to help me fill in all kinds of information, which is very convenient," she said. "This is the first time I have taken my children overseas, and I also brought two large boxes of luggage."
The New York flight is the second direct route China Southern has resumed between Guangzhou and cities in the United States, the statement said.
Earlier this year, the airline resumed round-trip service between Guangzhou and Los Angeles.
