Chinese airlines expanding international flights

Chinese airlines, serving increasing outbound Chinese tourism, are expanding their long-haul routes, and at a pace that is fast upending the hierarchy of global aviation, The Wall Street Journal reports. Since September, Chinese carriers have added seven direct flights to North America, including routes from second-tier cities less known abroad including Zhengzhou, Qingdao and Xiamen. By comparison, US carriers launched just two China routes in all of 2016. Sichuan Airlines opened a new direct route between Los Angeles the northern Chinese city of Jinan on Tuesday. It is the third nonstop US flight the airline has started operating since October. Hainan Airlines, China’s biggest privately owned carrier, by itself launched 13 new long-range routes this year, including a new Beijing-Las Vegas flight initiated last week. Last year 120 million Chinese tourists journeyed abroad, up 400% from a decade ago.