HAINAN Airlines will commence direct passenger flights between Shenzhen and Osaka, Japan, on Jan. 7, 2025. This will be Hainan Airlines’ second direct flight to Osaka, following its Beijing-Osaka route, and the 12th international route the airline operates in Shenzhen. The route will provide greater convenience for economic, trade, and cultural exchanges between Shenzhen and Osaka, the company said yesterday. The airline plans to operate one round-trip flight per day on the route. The outbound flight will depart from the Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport at 5:20 p.m. Beijing time and arrive at the Osaka Kansai International Airport (KIX) at 10 p.m. local time. The return flight will leave Osaka at 11:10 p.m. local time and arrive in Shenzhen at 3:10 a.m. the next day. Osaka, the capital of Japan’s Osaka Prefecture, is a pivotal commercial and transportation hub for the Kansai region. It boasts a multitude of globally recognized Japanese manufacturing corporations, universities, and research institutions. KIX is a significant aviation hub located on an artificial island off the coast of Osaka Prefecture’s Senshu region, which is about 38 kilometers from the center of Osaka city. It is Japan’s first 24-hour international airport. (Han Ximin) | 