China Southern Airlines launches longest commercial flight

As the world's second largest economy expands its international aviation footprint, China Southern Airlines, one of its top carriers, has decided to start a historic route – its first-ever direct passenger flight from Shenzhen, China to Mexico City in Mexico, CNN reported.

The route which will be the longest nonstop regular commercial flight going out of China, has been announced to widen the economic powerhouse’s horizons in the global aviation industry.

The flight will cover a staggering 14,147 kilometers each way, making for a travel time of approximately 16 hours on the outbound leg from Shenzhen. The inaugural flight leaves on Tuesday, May 11, with departures calendared for Tuesdays and Saturdays down the line.

The return trip, however, will be a slightly longer. Taking at an estimated 21 hours and 20 minutes, flights back to China will include a brief refueling stop in Tijuana, Mexico. Travellers will not disembark during this stopover. The service from Mexico to China will be available on Wednesdays and Sundays, commencing from May 12.

The roundtrip service, with a flight code CZ8031/2, will be operated by Airbus A350 aircraft, according to reports from SZ News, a state-affiliated news outlet based in Shenzhen.

The new route surpasses China Southern Airlines’ Guangzhou to New York flight, which spans a distance of 12,871 kilometers, as the longest nonstop commercial flight originating from any Chinese airport.