Sichuan Airlines (3U, Chengdu Shuangliu) is to launch a direct Chongqing to Sydney Kingsford Smith service later this year following the signing of a cooperation agreement with the Chongqing municipal government on October 28. Should flights materialize, they would be the first non-stop commercial route between Chongqing and Australia. WCARN says the new service will be operated either two or three times weekly using an Airbus A330. Sichuan launched three times weekly flights from Chengdu Shuangliu to Melbourne Airport in February already.