The first short-distance air route in Guangxi operating from Wuzhou to Guilin is officially launched on Dec 6. [Photo/Nanguo Morning]

A small Cessna-208 aircraft with eight passengers took off from Wuzhou Xijiang Airport and flew to Guilin on Dec 4, marking the official opening of the first navigable short-distance route in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

The Wuzhou-Guilin flight officially starts on Dec 6, with one round trip available every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The current one-way fare is 260 yuan ($36.92), which is comparable to the price of first-class fare on the bullet train. Compared to other modes of transportation, the flight can save much time, as it only takes about one hour to fly from Wuzhou to Guilin.

The Wuzhou-Guilin flight also launched a special charter service for only 2,000 yuan, which is more suitable for family travel. In addition, it also provides a connecting service at Guilin Airport, enabling passengers to check-in and transfer between terminals without leaving the station.

In the future, short-distance air routes between cities in Guangxi will be launched, including flights from Guilin to Baise, Guilin to Hechi, Wuzhou to Beihai, and Nanning to Guilin.