HÀ NỘI — The travel time between Hà Nội and China’s eastern province of Jiangxi has been halved to three hours after Chinese budget carrier Lucky Air launched direct flights last Sunday, Chinese news agency Xinhua reported.

The first direct air link between the two destinations is expected to boost economic co-operation and tourism between Việt Nam and China, the carrier’s spokesman said. There are two flights a week on Wednesdays and Sundays.

Until now, flights between Jiangxi and Hà Nội had to stop over in other Chinese cities, such as Xiamen and Wuhan. — VNS