Passengers check in at the China Eastern Airlines counters to board the first direct flight from Istanbul to Xi'an at Istanbul Airport in Türkiye, on June 24, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

A China Eastern Airlines flight carrying over 200 passengers touched down at Istanbul Airport at around 7 a.m. local time (0400 GMT) on Tuesday, marking the launch of the airline's new direct route between Xi'an in southwestern China and Türkiye's Istanbul.

It is the airline's second direct route connecting China and Türkiye, following its Shanghai-Istanbul service. Operated with Airbus A330 wide-body aircraft, the new route offers three round-trip flights per week on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, according to the Shanghai-headquartered airline.

At the launch ceremony for the inaugural return flight from Istanbul at the airport on Tuesday morning, Wu Jian, China's deputy consul general in Istanbul, hailed the opening of the new route as a significant step in building a convenient "air Silk Road" between the two historic cities.

The new route will undoubtedly inject new momentum into the promotion of China-Türkiye economic cooperation, cultural exchange, and the joint advancement of the Belt and Road Initiative, Wu said.

Firat Ocak, aviation development director at Istanbul Airport, emphasized the airport's commitment to the Chinese market and expressed confidence that the new route would provide Chinese travelers with more efficient transit options to Europe and beyond via Istanbul.

The launch of the direct flight not only enhances connectivity between western China and Türkiye but also serves as a convenient bridge for bilateral cooperation in trade, culture, and tourism, said Li Ge, general manager of the Istanbul branch of China Eastern Airlines.