New Delhi: Air India (AI) today (Dec 11, 2003) launched its first flight to the Chinese metropolis of Shanghai, signalling the growing bilateral relations and trade and economic exchanges between the two powerful neighbours.

The bi-weekly flights on the Mumbai-Delhi-Bangkok-Shanghai sector will depart every Thursday and Saturday to return a day later.

Top executives of AI flagged off the inaugural flight (AI-348) from New Delhi this morning, carrying about 200 passengers on board.

"India and China are emerging economic powers and Air India's presence in Shanghai will promote trade and people-to-people contacts, while enhancing tourism," AI's Director (Public Relations) Jeetendra Bhargava told reporters at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) after the A-310-300 aircraft took off.

The plane has a two-layer configuration of 20 Executive Class seats and 181 Economy.

Bhargava said the two neighbours are slated to review their bilateral air services agreement in April or May next year (2004) and enhance frequencies.

He said the India-China ties had considerably improved after the visit of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to Beijing earlier this year and India had been accorded the "approved tourism destination" status by the Chinese Government.

PTI