TIANJIN — China's Tianjin Airlines announced that it has opened an air route connecting Southwest China's Chongqing municipality and Melbourne, Australia.

The first non-stop flight connecting the two cities was on Tuesday and it was completed smoothly, the Tianjin-based airway confirmed Wednesday.

Flight GS7945, operated by an Airbus A330 with a capacity of 260 passengers, leaves Chongqing at 10:10 pm every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, arriving in Melbourne at 11:40 am the next day

The return flight departs Melbourne at 1:40 pm every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, arriving Chongqing at 9:40 pm

Flight duration is around 10 and a half hours.

Chongqing is expected to become a transportation hub in Southwest China, with an estimated 100 international direct air routes and an international passenger throughput exceeding 5 million by 2020.