Flight UO214 is greeted with a traditional water-cannon salute as it touched down in Wuxi on July 17. [Photo provided to en.wuxi.gov.cn]

The new Wuxi–Hong Kong air corridor opened on July 17, with Hong Kong Express flight UO214 touching down at Wuxi Shuofang Airport at 6:45 pm.

The route will operate on a daily basis all year-round, with outbound flight UO214 regularly departing Hong Kong at 4:15 pm and arriving in Wuxi at 6:45 pm. The return leg, UO215, leaves Wuxi at 7:45 pm and reaches Hong Kong at 10:20 pm.

The late-afternoon departure and evening arrival schedule is positioned to appeal to business travelers and leisure visitors alike, enabling what the airport describes as a "Friday-night getaway" model for short-break trips between the two cities.

Jeanette Mao, CEO of Hong Kong Express, said Wuxi's natural scenery and tourism appeal were key factors in the decision to launch the route. "Passengers from Wuxi and the wider southern Jiangsu region can now fly directly to Hong Kong, and also connect via Hong Kong to destinations across Asia and beyond," she said. "We see significant potential in this travel market."

The air link adds to a growing transport network between Wuxi and Hong Kong. Earlier this year, a direct high-speed rail service between Wuxi and Hong Kong's West Kowloon was launched, creating both air and rail options. That development, combined with recently expanded five-year multiple-entry visa arrangements for talent exchanges, has accelerated collaboration in technology, research and industry.

Hong Kong has long been Wuxi's largest source of overseas investment, with thousands of Hong Kong-funded enterprises operating in the city. Officials said the new flights are expected to further energize commercial ties, tourism flows and people-to-people exchanges.