JINAN, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- A direct flight will connect Jinan, the capital city of eastern China's Shandong Province, and Finland's Helsinki and Vantaa, Jinan Yaoqiang International Airport announced.

Starting on April 8, the air route operated by China's Tibet Airlines will be the first direct flight linking Jinan and Finland, according to the marketing department of the airport of Jinan.

It is the first intercontinental flight of Tibet Airlines, which is also the first Chinese airlines operating a direct flight between China and Finland, the airlines said on Monday.

The route is going to be operated once a week in April and twice a week from May onwards with an Airbus 330 aircraft, according to the airlines.

Following cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Chongqing, Xi'an and Nanjing in China, Jinan will be the eighth city that opens direct flight to Helsinki. The flight times can be shortened to approximately 10 hours from Jinan to Helsinki Airport, which is located in the city of Vantaa.

Vantaa, located in the metropolitan area right next to the capital Helsinki, is a Friendship City of Jinan. The new route is to further strengthen the economic and cultural ties between Jinan, Helsinki and Vantaa, making travel easier for businessmen and visitors.