Sichuan Airlines launches Chengdu-Chongqing-Sydney service, Sydney now has 94 weekly China services

Sichuan Airlines launched (20-Dec-2013) twice weekly Chengdu-Chongqing-Sydney service on 20-Dec-2013, operated with A330-200 aircraft. Sydney Airport CEO Kerrie Mather welcomed the new airline and route, saying it would open up direct access to western China from Sydney. "China is a huge growth market for Sydney Airport and we're very pleased that passengers will now be able to access western China directly from Sydney," Ms Mather said, adding: "This new service will provide more than 50,000 seats per year on the Chengdu-Chongqing-Sydney route". Minister for Citizenship and Communities Victor Dominello, said, "China now ranks as the largest international contributor of visitor nights and expenditure in NSW. For the year ending September 2013, a 13.8 per cent increase saw 413,000 visitors to NSW from China, which contributed $1.38 billion to the state's economy." Sydney Airport now has 94 weekly flights from nine carriers to greater China, with five carriers offering 46 services to mainland Chinese cities including Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Nanjing and Shanghai. [more - original PR]