The new route broadens the choices for passengers transiting between Asia and North America
LAS VEGAS, Dec. 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The maiden voyage of Hainan Airlines' new non-stop service took off from Beijing and landed at McCarran InternationalAirport in Las Vegas at 11:00 am on December 2, 2016, following a 12-hour journey. The flight, serviced by a Boeing 787 with a Kung Fu Panda motif adorning the plane's cabins, served as the announcement of Hainan Airlines' formal launch of non-stop service between Beijing and Las Vegas. The new service further complements the airline's intercontinental network. Hainan Airlines is the sole Chinese airline providing non-stop service between the two cities.
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A brief yet grand welcoming ceremony for the maiden voyage was held by the Las VegasConvention and Visitors Authority at the arrivalshall in McCarran InternationalAirport, after the plane landed at the airport. Chinese Consul General in San Francisco Luo Linquan, Clark County Commissioner Lawrence Weekly, Las VegasConvention and Visitors Authority president Rossi Ralenkotter; Clark Countydirectorofaviation Rosemary Vassiliadis, McCarran InternationalAirport port director Warren Eales, Hainan Airlines vice president of marketing Hou Wei and brand director Xu Fei, government officials of the City of Las Vegas, representatives from local companies and chambers of commerce, Hainan Airlines VIP customers and established media organizations took part in the welcoming ceremony. Mr. Hou and Ms Vassiliadis exchanged gifts having characteristics that represented the essence of their native nation or region, in celebration of the exciting moment when the maiden voyage of the Beijing-Las Vegas non-stop service touched down.
Data from the US government shows that close to7.3 million Chinesetourists are projected to travel to theUSbetween now and2021. Since the launch of the Beijing-Seattle service in 2008, Hainan Airlines has continued to expand its flight services to the US. Hainan Airlines' non-stop flight to Las Vegas adds an additional transportation choice for business travelers, international students and tourists traveling between China and the US.
Hainan Airlines now operates ten China- North American routes, connecting Seattle, Toronto, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angles, Calgary, San Jose and Boston to destinations in China. All of its airplanes serving North American routes are Boeing 787s equipped with in-flight WiFi. The airline provides its Business Class passengers with high-quality BOSE noise-cancelling headphones, BVLGARI-brandedtoiletry bags, Sola-branded stainless steel dinnerware and an airborne cuisine menu designed by Michelin-starred chefs, providing passengers with a comfortable, safe and hospitality-focused flight experience. The Kung Fu Panda design painted on the side of the plane and themed characters adorning the insides of cabins, combined with the fusion of the Oriental style of hospitability with modern creativity, serves as a dynamic approach that gives passengers an opportunity to get acquainted with Chinese culture during the flight.
Hainan Airlines has been committed to globalization for years based on an open and win-win principle. Since the airline's first voyage, Hainan Airlines has safely operated its fleet for 23 years and its flights have logged over 5 million hours. It was named as a SKYTRAX five-star airline for six consecutive years and ranked fifth in Airline Safety Ranking 2016 by JACDEC, a German airline safety data evaluation firm, winning high praise from both its domestic and international passengers. HNA Group ranked 353rdon the FortuneGlobal 500 list issued in July 2016.
