An aerial drone photo taken on April 23, 2024 shows a view in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)

A flight departed early Saturday morning from southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, heading to Jakarta, capital of Indonesia, with 174 passengers on board, marking the launch of a direct passenger route between the two cities.

Operated by Citilink Indonesia with Airbus A320 aircraft, the new service offers two regular round trips per week, scheduled for Wednesdays and Saturdays from Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport.

The flight departs from Chongqing at 3:30 a.m. local time and arrives at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta at 8:55 a.m. local time, with a flight duration of approximately six hours.

According to He Lu, who is in charge of international air routes at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport, the direct passenger service can save over three hours for passengers who previously had to transfer.

Currently, the Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport operates 27 international and regional flight routes, with over 150 flights per week to cities including Seattle, London, Paris, Madrid and Sydney.