Kathmandu, June 5 -- Himalaya Airlines has launched its first direct scheduled service between Tribhuvan International Airport and Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport, opening a new air link between Nepal and one of China's most important economic and technology hubs.

The inaugural Kathmandu-Shenzhen flight departed Kathmandu at 9:59 pm Nepal time on Thursday with 98 passengers on board and arrived in Shenzhen at 4:17 am China time on June 5. The return flight left Shenzhen at 6:12 am China time on June 5, carrying 157 passengers and landed in Kathmandu at 8:26 am Nepal time the same day.

The airline said the route is being operated with an Airbus A320 configured with 180 seats. Shenzhen, China's first Special Economic Zone, is widely...