Anhui launches low-altitude short-distance air route

The maiden flight of a short-distance route from Xinyi and Zhenjiang, both in east China’s Jiangsu province, to Huangshan, east China’s Anhui province, was completed as a white Pilatus general-purpose aeroplane landed at Huangshan Tunxi International Airport at 12 pm on Dec 17, according to the Department of Transport of Anhui Province.

The aircraft on the route is a PC-12 model with a capacity of nine passengers and is operated every Friday and Sunday and on holidays.

Thanks to the opening of the route, the travel time has been greatly cut from four hours to one and a half between Huangshan and Zhenjiang, and from seven-plus to three hours between Huangshan and Xinyi, the provincial transport regulator said.

The move will play an exemplary role in promoting the development of transport and building a modern comprehensive transport system, according to the department.

Anhui is the third province to pilot the ongoing national reform of low-altitude airspace management.