On August 1, the Sichuan branch of China Eastern Airlines (CES) announced the airline has launched its first Chengdu-Shanghai Pudong-Hiroshima service. The once-daily route is operated with the Airbus A320, Huaxi City News reported.

Outbound flight MU293 takes off from Chengdu at 13:15 p.m., and arrives at Hiroshima at 20:10 p.m. The return flight MU294 leaves Hiroshima at 9:20 p.m., and arrives at Chengdu at 14:20 p.m. local time.

Airlines begin to eye Japanese market recently. In June 2011, Air China Ltd. and All Nippon Airways Co. Ltd. successively launched Chengdu-Tokyo non-stop flights, marking the end of the days when there was no direct flight between the two cities. The new Chengdu-Hiroshima flight service indicates the tourism market from Chengdu to Japan is booming.