After a farewell from Timorese President José Ramos Horta, the inaugural direct air passenger service between Timor-Leste’s capital Dili and the southern Chinese city of Xiamen touched down around 10 pm local time last Friday, reports Xinhua.
During the trial operation period, from February to April, Timorese flagship carrier Aero Dili will operate two round-trip flights per month between the two destinations – marking its first China service. Come May, there will be a weekly round-trip flight.
Experts expect the new service to be a gamechanger for boosting trade and economic ties, since it is a direct connection, shortening a journey that formerly took up to 30 hours via indirect routes to just over five and a half hours.
That change makes the island a possibility for Chinese tourists. As Timor-Leste’s ambassador to China explained in an article for Macao magazine last October, capturing even “a tiny fraction” of the Chinese market “could generate substantial revenue and create thousands of jobs” on the island.
President Horta echoed the sentiment at the inaugural flight ceremony in Dili, saying he hoped that the new service would bring in more Chinese tourists, “generating more economic opportunities, promoting our cultural and natural heritage, and strengthening bilateral cooperation.” China and Timor-Leste upgraded their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership in September 2023.
[See more: Timor-Leste moves forward with its airport upgrade]
The inaugural flight was made by the company’s first leased aircraft, an Airbus A320 previously operated by Bangkok Airways, which arrived in Dili in March 2023. By May of that year, Aero Dili had launched its first scheduled international flight to Denpasar, the main gateway to Bali. A second scheduled route, connecting the capital to Singapore, was launched in February 2024.
Preparations for routes to Darwin and Melbourne are underway, Timorese news agency Tatoli reported earlier this month, and expected to launch later this year, as is a connection to Thailand. A second Airbus, currently being repainted in neighbouring Indonesia, is expected to arrive in Timor-Leste in late February or early March 2025.
The new routes and growing fleet, as well as overseas training for flight crews and upgrades to airport infrastructure, are all part of a concerted effort to position Dili as a transit hub for Chinese travellers connecting to Bali, Darwin and Melbourne. Horta noted at the inaugural ceremony that Aero Dili is working with its Chinese partners to create tourism packages that integrate Dili and Bali, both destinations well suited to attracting nature lovers.
To further strengthen Dili’s position as a viable and attractive aviation hub, Horta urged the Timorese government to take steps to bolster the airline, including providing incentives to drive down jet fuel prices and prioritising use of Aero Dili by authorities, officials and civil servants.
“May this inaugural flight mark the beginning of a new era of success,” Horta told an assembled crowd that included Chinese ambassador Wang Wenli, “one that deepens our bilateral relations and propels Timorese aviation to greater heights.”
