It has been reported that American Airlines and Hainan Airlines Co., Ltd. have recently signed a codeshare agreement. The signing of this agreement not only presents new opportunities for the development of both parties, but also solidifies Seattle’s status as the “Gateway to America,” with the “Emerald City” set to welcome more visitors from China.
According to the agreement: Hainan Airlines Co., Ltd. will place its code on domestic U.S. flights operated by American Airlines departing from Seattle, enabling passengers on Hainan Airlines’ Beijing–Seattle route to connect to other cities across the United States.
Seattle, located in the state of Washington, is the largest city in the Pacific Northwest region of the U.S. It sits between Puget Sound and Lake Washington, approximately 180 kilometers from the U.S.-Canada border. The greater Seattle area boasts a mild and pleasant climate, rich artistic and cultural scenes, sports and entertainment activities, numerous shops and restaurants, as well as year-round outdoor recreational opportunities.
Seattle has earned many accolades, such as being named the “Best Place to Live in the U.S.” by Money magazine in 1995, the “Best City for Business and Careers” by Fortune magazine in 1996, and recognized nationwide as the city with the highest quality of life in 1998. In 2005, it was named the fittest city in America by Men’s Fitness magazine and also awarded the best city in the U.S. for wireless internet connectivity.
Seattle’s tourist attractions are clustered within close proximity, with no destination more than an hour and a half away, making it one of the top choices for many high-end travelers. For example, the Olympic Sculpture Park offers panoramic views of the Olympic Mountains, Puget Sound, and Seattle; the Seattle Aquarium features the world’s first salmon ladder built within an aquarium, along with coastal tide pools, sea otters, and a giant Pacific octopus; the Woodland Park Zoo, ranked among the top ten zoos in the U.S., spans 92 acres of naturalistic wildlife exhibits; the Seattle Art Museum houses over 21,000 works of art from the Pacific Northwest and around the world; and Pioneer Square is a historic Seattle district offering boutique shopping, art galleries, vibrant nightlife, international cuisine, and sightseeing.
The launch of new flight policies brings both opportunities and challenges to Seattle. Yet, the beautiful Emerald City is well-prepared to become a top destination for outbound Chinese tourists. Beautiful Seattle will present itself to the world in its finest light, with the Space Needle reaching toward the sky, heralding an endless chapter of splendor.
Since 2008, Hainan Airlines Co., Ltd. has operated a non-stop flight from Beijing to Seattle, which has remained one of the preferred routes for Chinese tourists and business travelers visiting the U.S. Hainan Airlines also plans to introduce the Boeing 787 aircraft in 2012. Stay tuned for a new era of air travel.