The first Chengdu-Mumbai direct flight is scheduled to be put into operation on May 2.

Passengers from the Chinese mainland used to transfer via Hong Kong, Singapore or Bangkok to Mumbai before the direct flight was implemented. The new flight only takes five hours to Mumbai, the West China City Daily reported from the Air China Southwest branch.

Chengdu is developing itself into the fourth largest aviation hub in China. The Chengdu-Mumbai direct flight will help the city turn into an ideal transit for mainland passengers to India and consequently, enhance impacts in South Asia.

Air China opened a direct flight from Chengdu to India's Silicon Valley, Bangalore in 2009. The Chengdu-Mumbai route has turned into Air China's second direct flight from Chengdu to India.

The Chengdu-Mumbai flight will be carried out by the Air China southwest branch with Airbus A319. It is scheduled to fly four times a week for about five hours in a single trip.

The Indian's commercial center in Mumbai is far above Bangalore in terms of scale and economic strength. However, Chinese inland cities do not have direct flights to Mumbai. The transit passengers take up 50 percent of total numbers, most of which go between South India and Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Hangzhou.

Chengdu will also launch a direct flight service to the United States this year. The increasingly international flights will bring about convenience for Chengdu passengers and opportunities for airline companies. Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport's passenger throughput reached 29.1 million in 2011. It surpassed Shenzhen International Airport's figure that same year and became the fourth largest aviation hub in China.

The Chengdu logistics service office said, “Chengdu will have 40 international direct scheduled flights by 2015 to establish an international network that links to Europe, America, Australia and Asia.”

Chengdu currently has 24 international direct flights and cargo airlines. The city opened up direct flights from Chengdu to Tokyo and Abu Dhabi in 2011.