United links SF, Xi'an non-stop

United Airlines announced on Tuesday that it will offer seasonal non-stop service between San Francisco and Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi province, between May 8 and Oct 27.

"We decided, after many, many months of thoughtful and careful consideration, to offer this service to our Chinese customers. We want to participate in the (US-China market) growth and the Chinese-US Tourism Year of 2016," said Marcel Fuchs, vice-president of the airlines' Atlantic and Pacific sales, during a media briefing at San Francisco International Airport (SFO).

During his state visit to the US last September, President Xi Jinping announced that 2016 would be the Year of China-US Tourism.

Tourism between the world's two largest economies continues to grow, with 250 million visitors shuttling back and forth between the two countries in the past eight years, according to the China National Tourism Administration.

Deploying Boeing 787 Dreamliners for this new voyage - approximately 6,500 miles each way - the Chicago-based carrier will be the first US airlines to offer direct trans-Pacific flights to Xi'an.

"We want to acknowledge the US Department of Transportation, the US Department of State and the Civil Aviation Administration of China for their forward-thinking negotiations to open nonstop flights from the United States to interior points in China," said Fuchs, adding Xi'an is their fourth destination on the Chinese mainland following Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu.

Hailing the addition of the new route, Charles Schuler, director of communications and marketing at SFO, said the new service will enhance San Francisco's function as the gateway to China. "The business and cultural communities, and regular travelers, will welcome and appreciate your hard work," he said.

The flights will depart San Francisco International Airport at 1:25 pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays and arrive in Xi'an at 5:30 pm the following day (all times local).

Return flights will depart Xi'an Xianyang International Airport at 10:30 am on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and arrive at San Francisco International Airport at 7:35 am the same day. Flight time will be approximately 13 hours.

Kay Ikawa, managing director of Asia/Pacific sales for United Airlines, said the selection of Xi'an to start the direct service is the outcome of comprehensive calculations and comparisons.

One of China's oldest cities with more than 3,100 years of history, Xi'an has a cultural heritage and abundance of tourist attractions, such as the Terracotta Warriors and China's first emperor's tomb. "It used to be the eastern terminal of the Silk Road," she said

Although considered a second-tier city, Xi'an boasts untapped potential for future development. "We want to capture this growing market of more than 8 million residents," said Fuchs.

To make the debut flight successful, the United Airlines has customized its in-cabin and on-ground services to cater to Chinese passengers.

"We understand Chinese people like the lucky number eight," said Ikawa, "so we chose May 8 to start the service. The airliner has also hired Mandarin-speaking flight attendants and will provide Chinese dishes in all cabins and offer entertainment programming, including 50-plus Chinese blockbusters."

Other featured services designed for Chinese customers include Alipay, one of China's leading online payment apps for more efficient and secure transactions, and a customer service account through WeChat, China's popular social networking app.

US airlines in recent years have been racing to gain a foothold in China's aviation market, which the International Air Transport Association predicts will be the largest passenger market in 15 years.

junechang@chinadailyusa.com

(China Daily USA 02/17/2016 page2)