Port of Seattle Welcomes Hainan Airlines Inaugural Nonstop Service Between Beijing and Sea-Tac Airport

The Port of Seattle used a water turret salute to welcome the inaugural flight of Hainan Airlines’ nonstop service between Beijing and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Hainan Airlines, China’s largest non-government-owned carrier (airline code: HU), today becomes the first airline to provide nonstop service between Beijing and Seattle.

"The Puget Sound region is a key trading partner with China,” said Port of Seattle Commission Vice President Lloyd Hara. “Hainan Airlines’ nonstop service to Beijing will continue to promote our region’s business, tourist and cultural connections to the world’s fastest growing economy.”

It’s estimated that more than 75,000 passengers travel to and from China through Seattle each year without the benefit of nonstop service – the addition of nonstop service from Sea-Tac Airport is expected to stimulate even more travel between the two. Through its extensive network in China, Hainan Airlines will connect Seattle travelers to more than 40 Chinese cities, including the capitals of each province.

“Traffic to and from China is the fastest growing international market in Seattle, with traffic to China increasing 12 percent a year” said Port of Seattle CEO Tay Yoshitani. “Our region’s global businesses have wanted this kind of direct connection to China, and we are only now beginning to see what the tourism element will be.”

Initial flights will be on new Airbus A330-200 aircraft with two classes of service: 36 business-class seats and 186 seats in economy. The nonstop flight from Seattle to Beijing will be a prime connector for neighboring markets, such as Spokane, Portland, Boise, Denver, Austin, Dallas, San Diego and Las Vegas, none of which has nonstop service to China.

The nonstop flight will operate four times weekly: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Flight HU 495 will depart from Beijing at 4:20 p.m. and arrive in Seattle at noon the same day. Flight HU 496 will depart from Seattle at 2 p.m. and arrive in Beijing at 4:35 p.m. the following day.

In the last 15 months, the Port of Seattle has announced five additional new nonstop routes including Hainan’s route to Beijing – AeroMexico to Mexico City, Air France to Paris, Lufthansa to Frankfurt, Northwest Airlines to London and in Spring 2009 to Beijing. Sea-Tac Airport now has 13 nonstop flights to nine cities in Asia and Europe, which will rise to 14 in Spring of 2009.

About Hainan Airlines

Founded in 1993, Hainan Airlines currently is the fourth-largest carrier in China and the largest non-government-owned airline in China. Hainan Airlines is known for its award-winning customer service, impeccable safety record and on-time performance. Hainan Airlines carries more than 14 million passengers annually. Hainan Airlines currently flies to more than 60 domestic and international cities, including the capitals of every Chinese province. Hainan Airlines’ international flights include Budapest, Brussels, Osaka and St. Petersburg.

Find more information on Hainan Airlines’ North American flights and purchase tickets with a Visa card online.