Hainan Airlines announces its newest American gateway, Boston nonstop service to Beijing to start June 20, 2014

BOSTON – China’s Hainan Airlines announced it plans to launch nonstop service from Boston’s Logan Airport to Beijing on June 20, 2014. This will represent the first scheduled nonstop flight from Boston to Mainland China in history – and with the industry’s most advanced airliner – the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Hainan Airlines will operate the flights every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. With its international hub at Beijing, Hainan will offer connections to cities throughout China, including Shanghai, Guangzhou, Fuzhou, Xi’an and Haikou. Travelers may stopover in Beijing in either direction and connect with numerous additional Chinese cities across the Hainan network such as Chengdu or Dalian.

Flight 482 will depart Logan at 5:10pm and arrive in Beijing at 6:50pm the following day. Flight 481 will depart Beijing at 1:50pm and reach Logan at 3:10pm the same day. Flight time is a little over 13 hours.

Recent changes to visa regulations permit US citizens to stay in Beijing for as long as 72 hours visa-free when traveling to international points beyond China, enabling online onward travel to other key destinations like Bangkok and Phuket.

“We are delighted to finally be able to bring Hainan Airlines’ famous five-star service to New England. The new flight provides the fastest way to get to Beijing, the capital of China,” said Pubin Liang, Managing Director of Hainan Airlines in North America. “Business, leisure and educational travel and trade between the United States and China has been growing dramatically. This wonderful new link will stimulate this growth via the important Boston gateway.”

It’s no secret that Boston has wanted a link to China for several years. Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick said, “Nonstop service from Boston to Beijing will open up new commercial and economic opportunities, and I thank Hainan Airlines for their partnership in achieving this significant milestone.’’

Richard A. Davey, Secretary and Chief Executive of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and Chairman of the Massport board, said that “Boston is the 6th largest airline passenger market in the US to China and the largest without nonstop service; this new route will help the regional economy, boost tourism and provide a convenient connection for tens of thousands of visitors.’’

“Getting nonstop service to China has been a long sought goal for Massachusetts,’’ said Thomas P. Glynn, Massport’s CEO. “The economics and the range of a new generation of aircraft, like the 787 and the Airbus 350, make new nonstop routes from Boston to every corner of the globe possible.’’

Joel Chusid, Executive Director of Hainan Airlines in the United States, added, “Since its founding in 1993, Hainan Airlines has fostered a deep rooted culture of providing excellent service. We look forward to welcoming Bostonians and New Englanders aboard, while at the same time bringing more Chinese business, tourist and educational travelers to the region.

Sourced: TravelDailyNews