The "Sanya-Irkutsk" passenger flight route officially went into operation on Sunday, marking the first international passenger route launched by the Sanya Phoenix International Airport in 2026.

At 01:40 Sunday, a Russian Airlines passenger plane from Irkutsk in Russia's Siberia landed smoothly at the Sanya Phoenix International Airport, south China's tropical island province of Hainan, signifying the official opening of the new flight route.

The route is operated with the Airbus A320 aircraft, with three flights per week, arriving in and departing from Sanya on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday. With the addition of this new route, the Sanya Phoenix International Airport has direct air links with 11 Russian cities, running a total of 26 flights per week.

Irkutsk is located in the heart of Eastern Siberia, Russia. It is a vital transportation hub and a famous cultural and tourism city with strong tourist appeal.