KUALA LUMPUR - Lao Airlines on December 23 launched a direct Zhanjiang-Vientiane service, the first international route since Zhanjiang Wuchuan International Airport began operations in 2022.

The route also marks the first time a foreign airline has opened an international service in western Guangdong.

Previously, travellers from the region had to transit through major hubs such as Guangzhou or Shenzhen for international flights, increasing both travel time and costs.

Operated by an Airbus A320, the Vientiane service runs round trips every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, offering direct access from Zhanjiang to ASEAN destinations.

Zhanjiang sits at the convergence of the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area, the Hainan Free Trade Port and the New Western Land–Sea Corridor, positioning it as a strategic coastal gateway to Southeast Asia.

As the only 4E-class trunk airport in western Guangdong, Wuchuan Airport is linked to key transport arteries including the Guangzhou–Zhanjiang and Shenzhen–Zhanjiang high-speed railways.

Authorities expect the new air route to integrate with Zhanjiang Port, China–Europe freight trains and the China–Laos Railway to form a sea–land–air multimodal logistics network.

Despite scepticism over demand for a Zhanjiang–Laos connection, the city’s former airport previously operated international routes to destinations such as Phnom Penh and Bangkok.

Officials note that Zhanjiang maintains particularly strong trade and people-to-people ties with cities including Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok.

The Zhanjiang Municipal Bureau of Commerce said it is in talks with AirAsia to open a Kuala Lumpur route in 2025, with plans also underway for Bangkok and other regional destinations.

The Zhanjiang–Vientiane service is seen as a milestone in the city’s opening-up efforts, restoring foreign carrier presence and strengthening its links with the wider world.