China Southern Airlines is launching its first direct passenger flight from the capital city of Shenzhen to Mexico City, setting a record for the longest scheduled non-stop commercial flight originating in China.
The aircraft will fly an intercontinental distance of approximately 14,147 kilometers (8,790 miles) each way.
The first flight will leave the southern Chinese capital of Shenzhen on May 11. According to information from China Southern Airlines, the 16-hour absence to Mexico City will take place on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
In contrast, flying is a bit more complicated, with an estimated flight time of 21 hours and 20 minutes. Service will begin May 12 on Wednesday and Saturday.
The relatively long route to China included a short refueling stop in Tijuana, during which time passengers remained on board.
The return route uses flight code CZ8031/2 and will be operated by an Airbus A350, Shenzhen-based state affiliate SZ News reported.
The upcoming route will overtake China Southern Airlines’ Guangzhou service to New York, covering 12,871km, as the longest non-stop commercial flight from a Chinese airport.
Currently operated by Singapore Airlines, the 15,332km Singapore-New York route claims the top spot as the longest non-stop flight in the world, taking around 19 hours each way.
China Southern Airlines’ latest Singapore Airlines flight from Singapore to Los Angeles will take the 8th place on the list of the world’s longest flights compiled by the OAG flight research database.
Last year, China reopened its borders to travelers for the first time since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020. Airlines have since been resuming flight routes that were halted or severely curtailed during the pandemic, particularly long-haul routes to the United States and across Europe.
China Southern Airlines was the first ever Chinese carrier to operate flights to Mexico and launched the Guangzhou-Vancouver-Mexico City route in April 2017, according to reports at the time by China’s state media agency Xinhua.