Xiamen Airlines (MF) celebrated the inaugural flight of its Xiamen-Amsterdam route on the evening of July 26, which is the carrier's first ever intercontinental flight.

The new route, operated by Boeing 787 Dreamliner, marks an important milestone in the airline's global expansion and Fujian Province's efforts to enhance international exchanges via the Belt and Road Initiative.

Xiamen Airlines now operates a fleet of 119 Boeing jets, which is the biggest all-Boeing fleet in China. Since the first Drealiner joined in August 2013, the SkyTeam carrier has taken delivery of five of six 787s it has on order, with the sixth to be delivered soon.

As part of the expansion plans for further intercontinental routes departure from Fujian province, Xiamen Airlines has placed an order for four stretched Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, forming a fleet of 10 787s, said Che Shanglun, president and chairman of Xiamen Airlines. In 2016-2020, the Xiamen-based carrier is expected to own 10-12 787s for boosting its long-haul network.

Taking Amsterdam as a turning point, Xiamen Air is stepping up its international expansion plan by launching long-haul services to Australia, Europe and America. Mr. Che explained, Xiamen Airlines will launch a nonstop Xiamen-Sydney route this year. Next year, the carrier plans to launch routes to North America, completing a route network covering Europe, America and Australia, and supporting China's "One Belt, One Road" strategy by creating a "Silk Road in the Sky."