KUNMING, Sept. 17 -- Chinese low cost carrier Lucky Air on Sunday launched a direct air route between Nanchang, capital of east China's Jiangxi Province, and Hanoi, capital of Vietnam.

The air route, the first linking Jiangxi with Hanoi, will boost economic cooperation and tourism of the two places. The flight runs every Wednesday and Sunday.

The opening of direct flights will cut the air travel time between Nanchang and Vietnam from more than six hours to three hours, according to the carrier, which is based in southwest China's Yunnan Province.

Prior to the direct route, flights from Nanchang to Vietnam stop over in other Chinese cities such as Xiamen and Wuhan.