Hainan Airlines announced the appointment of AirWorld Inc. as its general sales agent for North America. The airline also announced its new toll-free North American reservation and information number which will connect travelers to both native English and Chinese speakers to assist them with their travel needs.

AirWorld will provide reservations, sales and ticketing from six convenient North American offices – New York City, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Toronto and Vancouver, B.C. – to best serve passengers and travel agents alike.

Hainan Airlines has applied to the U.S. Department of Transportation to launch the only non-stop service between Seattle and Beijing, beginning on June 9, 2008. The non-stop flight would operate four times weekly – on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays – once the airline receives U.S. regulatory approval. Initially, the route will be flown by new Airbus A330 aircraft in a two-class configuration: business and economy.

Hainan Airlines currently flies to more than 130 cities.