Hainan Airlines has launched started operations at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport by launching non-stop flights from the Chinese cities of Xi’an and Changsha.

The two twice-weekly flights are both operated by an Airbus A330.

“We are delighted to welcome Hainan Airlines to our family at Melbourne Airport,” said Simon Gandy, chief of aviation at Melbourne Airport. “With sustained growth in the Chinese market, we’re thrilled to now have direct services from Victoria to nine cities in mainland China for all our travellers.”

The airline is the eighth airline from mainland China to fly to Melbourne, after Air China, Beijing Capital Airlines, China Eastern, Shanghai Airlines, China Southern, Sichuan Airlines and Xiamen Airlines.

The schedule for the new flights is as follows.