NANJING, July 9 (Xinhua) -- China Eastern Airlines inaugurated a direct flight route between Nanjing and Paris on Wednesday morning, connecting the capital of Jiangsu Province -- one of China's economic powerhouses -- with the European destination.

The outbound flight MU845 departs Nanjing Lukou International Airport at 0:45 a.m. every Wednesday Beijing Time, arriving in Paris at 7 a.m. local time. The inbound flight MU846 leaves Paris at 2:20 p.m. local time every Wednesday, landing in Nanjing at 7:30 a.m. the next day Beijing Time.

Demand for the new route is strong, with over 90 percent of economy class seats sold on the inaugural flight.

A Nanjing tour guide surnamed Xie said that he previously flew from Shanghai to Paris, whereas "this direct service saves five to six hours on a round trip." Paris also serves as a pivotal transit hub for onward flights to Spain, Portugal, Norway and other European countries.

Nanjing Lukou International Airport, a major travel hub in Jiangsu, serves 56 airlines with connections to over 120 destinations worldwide, including Milan, Sydney and Amsterdam.■