Flight HU763 departed from Haikou Meilan International Airport in Haikou City, south China's Hainan Province, at 2:46 a.m. on Tuesday, marking the official commencement of the new air route from Haikou to Abu Dhabi.

The inaugural flight also marked the province's first international air route to the Middle East. Operated by Hainan Airlines, it utilizes the A330 aircraft and will operate every Tuesday and Saturday.

The outbound flights will depart at 2:30 a.m. and have an estimated local arrival time of 7:25 a.m. in Abu Dhabi. The return flights, HU764, will depart from Abu Dhabi at 5:40 p.m. local time and are expected to land in Haikou at 5 a.m. the following day.

It is anticipated that the new air route will significantly boost cooperation between Hainan and the United Arab Emirates in the fields of the economy, culture and tourism.