NANJING, March 20 (Xinhua) -- A new direct air route connecting the eastern Chinese city of Wuxi and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, was launched on Thursday, marking the first nonstop route between the two destinations, airline officials said.

Operated by Juneyao Air, the service offers three round-trip flights a week, with a one-way flight time of around five hours and 55 minutes.

Outbound flight HO1563 departs Wuxi on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 8:55 p.m. Beijing time, arriving in Kuala Lumpur at 2:50 a.m. local time the following day.

The return flight, HO1564, departs from Kuala Lumpur on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 03:50 a.m. local time and lands in Wuxi at 9:15 a.m. Beijing time.

The airline said the new route expands Wuxi's network to Southeast Asia, supporting not only family visits and business travel but also creating fresh opportunities for tourism growth. The first inbound flight from Kuala Lumpur on Friday recorded a load factor of 96 percent.

According to Wuxi Sunan International Airport Group, the route also serves as a logistics link between industry and markets. The inaugural flight carried about 800 kg of cargo in its belly hold, mainly cross-border e-commerce parcels, highlighting rising demand for air freight alongside passenger travel. ■