Xiamen Airlines launches its first ever flights to Vancouver

Chinese carrier Xiamen Airlines recently launched its maiden nonstop flights to Vancouver. The airline will be operating year-round service thrice weekly with the help of its Boeing 787 aircraft to its first North American destination. The new service between Vancouver International Airport (YVR) and Xiamen Gaogi International Airport (XMN) started operating from July 26, 2016.

The launch of nonstop flights to Vancouver is part of Xiamen Airlines' rapid intercontinental expansion. The airline's new Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft is configured in three classes, and would be offering four seats in First Class, 18 seats in Business Class and 215 seats in Economy Class.

The new flight schedule has also been announced. A spokesperson of Xiamen Airlines said that Flight MF806 would make its departure from Vancouver at 1.40 am local time and reach Xiamen at 5.30 am local time next day. The return Flight MF805 would depart from Xiamen at 9.30 pm local time and land in Vancouver at 6.40 pm local time next day.

Craig Richmond, President and CEO of Vancouver Airport Authority, said, “It is a matter of great delight that a fifth airline from mainland China – Xiamen Airlines – has started serving Vancouver, a key city in Canada. It is no wonder that the airline has decided to select Vancouver as its first North American destination because of the close ties that Fujian Province enjoys with the city. Moreover, Vancouver is also the best gateway to North America for any carrier operating out of Asia.” Richmond also said that the new Xiamen-Vancouver route would be offering a 72-hour visa-free stopover program as well.

It may be known that Xiamen Airlines is headquartered in Xiamen, its namesake city located in southeastern China with a population of above 3.8 million people. The popular Chinese city boasts of tree-lined beaches, tropical scenery and warm climate. Chinese tourists consider Xiamen to be a popular vacation spot, and over the past years the city is also attracting foreign tourists as well in quite large numbers.