On August 27, Hainan Airlines announced the formal launch of service between Shenzhen and Zurich. The service is the first non-stop flight connecting China'sGuangzhou-Shenzhen area with Switzerland, and is also the airline's 7th intercontinental flight originating from Shenzhen. The airline will operate a Boeing 787 Dreamliner on the new route with two round-trip flights per week. Hainan Airlines flight HU741, the inaugurate flight of the carrier's new Shenzhen-Zurich service, took off from Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport at 1:20 am on August 27 Beijing time, and successfully landed at Zurich Airport the same day, at 7:55 am local time.

Hainan Airlines spokesman said, "The non-stop Shenzhen-Zurich service will bring more convenience to passengers traveling on business and for leisure, further promoting the development of the economies, cultures and tourism of the two countries, while offering more opportunities for collaboration between companies in European countries and in China."

In 2018, Hainan Airlines launched the Shenzhen-Brussels, Shenzhen-Madrid, Shenzhen-Tianjin-Vancouver, Guangzhou-Tel Aviv and Shenzhen-Zurich services in China'sGuangzhou-Shenzhen area, and is scheduled to launch the Shenzhen-Vienna service on October 20. Besides destinations mentioned above, Hainan Airlines international services now fly from Shenzhen to Brisbane, Cairns, Oakland, Zurich, Sihanouk, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Ventiane, Luang Prabang, Da Nang and Nha Trang.The airline has established an increasingly expanded international flight network that makes it ever easier for travelers to transit between long- and short-range flights originating out of the same or nearby airports in the area. The Shenzhen-Zurich service will complement the services already in place, greatly reducing flight and transit times for passengers. The new service provides a brand new air bridge for passengers traveling between Europe and Oceania.