With 136 passengers onboard, China Eastern Airlines resumed its direct flight between Shanghai and Kashgar in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region on Saturday, which is the longest domestic flight operated by the Shanghai-based carrier.

The Shanghai -Kashgar flights will be operated every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday between Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Kashi Laining International Airport. It takes about 6 hours to accomplish the 4,500 kilometers one-way journey, according to the airliner.

As early as 2010, China Eastern opened the round-trip route between Shanghai (Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport) and Kashgar with a stopover at Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. On every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, the flight has been in operation for more than 14 consecutive years.

The carrier also launched a seasonal weekly direct flight between Shanghai (Shanghai Pudong International Airport) and Kashgar from April 6, 2019 to October 26, 2019.

The resumption of the direct flight is hoped to boost the economic and trade cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, as well as the tourism industry between Xinjiang and Shanghai.