At 2:10 AM on May 28, HU435 lifted off from Haikou’s Meilan International Airport on its way to Apia, capital of Samoa, officially opening the brand new regular non-stop Haikou - Apia route. This is the first direct flight connection between Hainan and the Pacific island nation of Samoa, and is a first for the entire country of China as well.

The Haikou - Samoa route is operated by Hainan Airlines on a B787 aircraft. (Photo: Haikou Meilan International Airport)

Passengers check in before the first Haikou - Samoa flight. (Photo: Haikou Meilan International Airport)

The Hainan Airlines Haikou to Samoa flight, HU435, will operate every Saturday going forward, departing Haikou at 2:10 AM and arriving in Samoa at 7:10 PM. The return flight, HU436, departs Samoa at 10:10 PM and arrives in Haikou the following morning at 5 AM (all times local).

Samoa is located close to the equator in the tropical Polynesian island chain in the southern hemisphere. It is a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations and was one of the earliest Pacific island nations to establish diplomatic relations with China. Since 1975, friendly relations between China and Samoa have quickly developed, with Chinese travelers enjoying visa-free entry to Samoa, making vacationing there both fun and convenient.

On the evening of May 17, the opening ceremony for the Haikou - Apia route was held in Haikou. (Photo: Zheng Guangping/Hinews)

A representative of the Samoan government said that there were many similarities between Hainan and Samoa, including the climate, the culture, and local resources, and expressed hopes that exchanges between the two areas in agriculture, culture, and other fields will promote the nation’s economic development.

Hainan United Airlines Travel Group Chairman Ding Jiabin remarked that the opening of this new route further boosts the friendly relations between Samoa and China, expands the transportation network between Hainan and the southern Pacific Ocean, and deepens economic, cultural, and resource cooperation and exchange between the two regions.