A Boeing 767-300ER aircraft operated by Azur Air from Moscow, Russia arrived in Xiamen, East China's Fujian province at 8:40 on Sept 18, marking the official launch of a direct air route linking the two cities, Xiamen Daily reported.

It is Xiamen's first direct air route to Russia and the second regular direct air route to Europe, following the one to Amsterdam in the Netherlands in 2011, said an official from the Xiamen transport bureau.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, only one-way flights from Moscow to Xiamen every Friday will be available. Flight ZF1678 takes off from Vnukovo International Airport at 17:30 local time and will arrive at Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport at 8:05 Beijing time. The flight time is about nine hours.

All passengers are required to take nucleic acid tests before the flight. Those who test positive or have a fever will not be allowed to board. Those who test negative must still be quarantined in designated hotels before boarding. After arrival in Xiamen, these passengers must also undergo quarantine in accordance with local regulations.

"These measures were the result of in-depth discussions from both sides aimed at preventing the spread of the disease," said an official.

Xiamen has been working to increase its cross-continental air routes in recent years, according to the official. In 2019, the city ranked fifth in China in terms of the number of international transit passengers.