The first direct flight between Baotou and Alxa Left Banner opened on March 31, marking the second inter-league and city flight route launched in Baotou city, Baotou Daily reports.

The flight, operated by Ordos General Aviation using an Embraer Phenom 300, is scheduled to fly once per day.

The Embraer Phenom 300 is a light jet aircraft developed by the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer. It has a total seating capacity of nine people, including flight crew. It is the first time that the aircraft has been used for short-distance transportation.

The flight departs Baotou at 10 am, and reaches Alxa Left Banner at 11 am. The return flight takes off at 3 pm from Alxa Left Banner and arrives in Baotou at 4 pm.

The route aims to offer a convenient service to commuters and businesspeople in the two regions. A Baotou resident surnamed Zhang expressed his excitement at the launch. Zhang used to drive to Alxa Left Banner, which usually took him more than six hours, and now the direct flight cuts it to merely one hour.

The flight now offers discounted tickets for students at 199 yuan ($28.84) and for senior citizens at 299 yuan.

Baotou, the largest city of North China’s Inner Mongolia, is boosting ties with other areas of the autonomous region, with a direct flight to Urad Middle Banner launched on March 13 as the first step. The city plans to launch flights to Xilin Gol League and Hulunbuir League in the near future.

Airline staff celebrate the start of a new air service linking Baotou and Alxa Left Banner on March 31. [Photo/news.carnoc.com]