Air China inaugurated its new Chengdu-Kathmandu link on 30 March, making it the second Nepal-China link after Lhasa. Chengdu is a hub with flight connections to many parts of China. The Kathmandu branch Air China office hopes to attract Japanese tourists to Nepal through this new route as the Chengdu airport is frequented with direct flights from key Japanese cities. Air China, operating two flights a week, will add more during the peak season. The airline had already organized a big promotional campaign last year among the Chinese tourists. The flight will follow the same scenic route past Mt Everest as the Kathmandu-Lhasa flight which will be a bonus for passengers. Air China is using its 757 Boeing with a seating capacity of 196 passengers.