Chinese Ambassador to Austria Li Xiaosi (C) attends a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Vienna International Airport in Vienna, Austria, on Oct. 20, 2018. A direct flight of China's Hainan Airlines between southern Chinese city of Shenzhen and the Austrian capital Vienna was launched on Saturday, with the landing of its first aircraft here at the Vienna International Airport. (Xinhua/Liu Xiang)

VIENNA, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- A direct flight of China's Hainan Airlines between southern Chinese city of Shenzhen and the Austrian capital Vienna was launched on Saturday, with the landing of its first aircraft here at the Vienna International Airport.

Hainan Airlines signed a letter of intent for cooperation with Vienna International Airport during the Boao Forum for Asia in April this year, outlining a plan to launch a non-stop air route between Shenzhen and Vienna.

The airline operates a Boeing 787 Dreamliner on the new route, with two round-trip flights per week.