The southwest branch office of Air China opened a new international air route Wednesday, linking Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, and Paris of France via Beijing.

With Airbus-340 planes in service, it is the first direct international airline connecting western China with Europe. The flights are available on every Wednesday and Sunday.

The one-way tickets of the 13-hour single trip are priced ranging from 5,200 yuan (about US$626.5) to 6,400 yuan (about US$771), and the round-trip tickets, 8,400 yuan (US$1,012) to 10,600 yuan (US$1,277).

The flight is scheduled to arrive in Beijing at 10:50 a.m., then leave for Paris at 12:30 p.m., and touch down in Paris at 5 p.m. (local time). The aircraft returns from Paris at 7 p.m. (local time) and arrives at Chengdu at 2:20 p.m. (Beijing time) on Thursday as scheduled.

(Xinhua News Agency July 29, 2004)