The Yunnan localities of Kunming and Xishuangbanna restarted direct air service to the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai on March 24 and 28 respectively.

Xishuangbanna restarts direct air service to Chiang Mai on March 28.

Starting on March 26, the Yunnan-based Lucky Air’s flight 8L809/10 will fly the Kunming-Chiang Mai air route daily. From Monday to Saturday, the flight takes off from Kunming at 12:20 and arrives in Chiang Mai, Thailand at 13:05, while the return flight leaves Bangkok at 14:05 and lands in Kunming at 16:50.

On Sunday, the air journey begins in Kunming at 11:55 and finishes in Chiang Mai, Thailand at 13:05, and the return journey kicks off from Bangkok at 14:05 and concludes in Kunming at 16:50. The arrivals and departures are all local time.

The Xishuangbanna-Chiang Mai air route is flown by a Boeing 737-700 plane operated by Ruili Airlines. With a maximum capacity of 144 passengers, the Boeing aircraft flies on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

The plane takes off from Xishuangbanna at 10:35 and reaches Chiang Mai at 12:10, and the return trip is scheduled to begin in Chiang Mai at 13:10 and finish in Xishuangbanna at 13:55. All are local time.

"The resumption of the international air route from Xishuangbanna to Chiang Mai has made it easier for people in Yunnan and Thailand to visit each other," said the person in charge of Xishuangbanna Airport, adding the airport will open more routes to the Southeast Asian destinations.