OREANDA-NEWS.  February 09, 2012. This year will see new international air routes and more domestic flights from Hefei, capital city of Anhui province, officials said at a meeting on tourism and aviation on Wednesday.

China Eastern Airlines (CEA) is expected to operate a twice-a week fight connecting Hefei, capital city of Anhui province with Japan's Osaka starting from late March or early April, using an Airbus 320 aircraft, according to Sang Linbin, head of the Hefei Tourism Bureau and also director of the bureau's Aviation Administration.

"In order to raise the seat occupancy rate of the flight, we will encourage travel agencies to charter the plane for tourists," Sang said.

Also, an air route to Bangkok in Thailand will be opened by Hainan Airlines (HNA) sometime by the end of this year.

Preparation is under way for the operation of flights between the city and the US and European countries as well.

Meanwhile, airlines will reoperate flights connecting Hefei with Lanzhou of Gansu province and Hangzhou of Zhejiang province on a daily basis.

To compete against high-speed trains, more planes are expected to be added between Hefei and Shanghai.

Local residents will be able to travel by plane to the country's major cities such as Changchun, Shijiazhuang, Hohhot, Yinchuan and Lijiang later this year.

Besides, air companies will open express air routes this year, shortening flying time of flights linking Hefei to Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Xi'an and Xiamen.