A direct flight between Chongqing municipality and Panzhihua city, an iron and steel industry base in southwest China's Sichuan Province, opened Tuesday morning.

The air journey, covering about 500 kilometers, takes about 55 minutes. The plane takes off daily at 8 a.m. in Chongqing, and returns at 9:25 a.m. from Panzhihua.

Passengers traveling between the two cities used to have to transfer in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan, since the airport of Panzhihua was put into use late last year.

The new airfare is 710 yuan (some US$86) while the detour transfer costs more than 1,000 yuan (US$120 US).

Panzhihua, famous for its abundance in ilmenite and coal and subtropical landscape, is one of major bases of iron and steel production and a tourism attraction in the country.

(CRI.com  July 7, 2004)