HEFEI, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- An air route has been launched linking Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province, and Mandalay, the second largest city of Myanmar.

Myanmar Airways International (MAI) began operating flights on the air route starting Saturday, using Airbus A319 planes, with flight service available Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, according to a source of Anhui Civil Airport Group Ltd.

In accordance with the schedule, the plane departs Mandalay at 5:25 p.m. local time Tuesday and arrives in Hefei at 10:05 p.m. Beijing Time. It then leaves Hefei at 11:05 p.m. Beijing Time and arrives at Mandalay at 1 a.m. local time, the next day.

It is the first international route linking Hefei and Myanmar.