New air route expected to boost economy in Tibet

A flight route between Tibet's Qamdo Prefecture and Chongqing Municipality in southwest China is scheduled to be launched by the end of March, amid prospects for stimulating local economy.

Tibet Airlines will operate at least three round-trip flights a week using its Airbus 319 from Bangda Airport in Qamdo, according to an agreement between the company and Qamdo prefectural administrative authorities.

Neighboring Sichuan Province, Qamdo is a trade hub in east Tibet. However, road transport to the prefecture is hindered by the rugged and steep terrain.

"Transportation has become a bottleneck for the development of Qamdo and improved traffic is a basic foundation for local development," said Abo, government chief of Qamdo Prefecture.

Development of Qamdo's waterpower and mineral resources as well as infrastructure construction lured large number of people working here and all these need a convenient traffic, said Abo.

"The opening of the route will promote tourism and improve communication between Qamdo and the outside world," said Ran Shiping, Party chief of the Tibet Airlines.

Bangda Airport went into operation in 1994. It has two routes in service, one to Lhasa, capital of Tibet Autonomous Region, and another to Chengdu, capital of Sichuan. Some 100,000 passengers travel through the airport annually.

The airport, which is 4,334 meters above sea level, is the second highest-altitude civilian airport in the world after Daocheng Yading Airport in Sichuan.