Crew members and airport staff hold a banner after the inaugural charter flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, landed at Dunhuang Mogao International Airport in Jiuquan, Gansu province, on Aug 29. [Photo/Jiuquan Daily]

The inaugural charter flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Dunhuang, a county-level city in Jiuquan, Gansu province, landed at Dunhuang Mogao International Airport on the night of Aug 29, marking the official launch of the new route operated by Batik Air (formerly known as Malindo Air).

The service will run once a week on Fridays, with a total of 10 round-trip flights planned. Departures from Kuala Lumpur are scheduled for 3 pm, arriving in Dunhuang at 9:45 pm. The return flight departs Dunhuang at 10:45 pm and lands in Kuala Lumpur at 5:50 am the following day.

The launch follows the implementation of a mutual visa-exemption agreement between China and Malaysia in July, further expanding China's visa-free travel policy.

Under the agreement, Chinese and Malaysian citizens holding valid ordinary passports may enter, exit, or transit through the other country without a visa for stays of up to 30 days, with a cumulative total of 90 days allowed within any 180 days.