The first direct flight linking Jinan, capital of East China's Shandong province, and Finland's Helsinki was inaugurated at Jinan International Airport on April 8.

The air route is the first intercontinental flight to be operated by China's Tibet Airlines. 

The flight departs from Jinan for Helsinki at 3:30 p.m. every Monday (local time) and returns at 10:30 p.m. on the same day (local time). It will be operated once a week in April and twice a week from May onwards with an Airbus 330 aircraft, according to the airline.

Following Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Chongqing, Xi'an and Nanjing in China, Jinan is the eighth city to open a direct flight to Helsinki.  Flight times can be shortened to approximately 10 hours from Jinan to Helsinki Airport, which is located in the city of Vantaa.

Vantaa, located in next to the capital of Helsinki, is a friendship city of Jinan. The new route aims to further strengthen the economic and cultural ties between Jinan, Helsinki and Vantaa by making travel easier for businessmen and visitors.

An Airbus A330 takes off from Jinan Yaoqiang International Airport on the afternoon of April 8 and arrives  Helsinki-Vantaa International Airport, Finland after a 9-hour flight. [Photo/xinhua]