China Southern Airlines Company Limited opened Dhaka-Guangzhou flight on Sunday. A Boeing 737-800 carrying 17 passengers from Guangzhou arrived at Zia International Airport in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka early morning on Monday.

Gao Bo, China Southern Airlines Bangladesh representative, told Xinhua while receiving the inaugural flight that they have only one flight at the beginning. "Hopefully we will increase the number of flight very soon," he said.

Gao Bo said in order to attract passengers, they sell the ticket at very favorable price at the beginning. "One return ticket from Dhaka to Guangzhou is only 19,000 taka (about 271 U.S.dollars). The normal price is around 590 U.S. dollars," he said.

Iqbal, a Bangladeshi businessman who took the inaugural flight to Guangzhou, told Xinhua when checking in that the opening of Dhaka-Guangzhou flight will bring convenience for him.

"I have business in Guangzhou. I go to Guangzhou two to three times a month. Before I used to go Guangzhou via Kunming or Hong Kong. Now I can go there directly with this flight," he said.

In 2005, China Eastern Airlines landed in Bangladesh with the opening of Dhaka-Kunming flight.

(Xinhua News Agency August 3, 2009)