CHONGQING - Finnair, Finland's flagship carrier and the country's largest airline, will launch a direct route between Helsinki and Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality in May, tourism authorities said Friday.

The route's four flights every week will be serviced by Airbus A340 aircraft. The flight time is expected to be eight-and-a-half hours, said Zhou Cai, an official with the municipality's tourism bureau.

It will also be the first route connecting western China to Northern Europe, said Zhou.

The carrier is now recruiting flight attendants in Chongqing, according to Zhou.

The direct flights will not only provide convenience for local residents traveling Europe, but will also improve the competitiveness of Chongqing's tourism market in Europe, he said.

The route is expected to bring 100,000 foreign tourists to Chongqing each year, according to Zhou.