Hainan Air to begin Seattle-Beijing flights in June

From the 2/6/2008 Seattle Times:

China's Hainan Airlines said Tuesday it will begin the first nonstop service between Seattle and Beijing in June.




Seattle will become the first North American city served by China's fourth-largest carrier, which was founded in 1993 and is privately held.




With traffic from Seattle to China growing at 12 percent a year, the route is aimed at frequent travelers who now have to make connections through other cities. The 11-hour flight will shave hours off trips by avoiding layovers.




In the U.S., the flight will connect to other Northwest markets, such as Spokane, Portland, Boise and Las Vegas, and in China it will offer connections to 40 Chinese cities, Hainan said.




Beginning June 9, the flight will operate four times a week: on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.




"Seattle and the Pacific Northwest are home to many world-class companies that have significant business ties to China," said Deng Jian, Hainan Airlines' chief marketing officer in Beijing. "We hope to strengthen the friendship between China and the United States through our world-class service."