Sichuan Airlines (3U, Chengdu Shuangliu) has announced plans to start non-stop flights to the US East Coast in December of this year.

Using its incoming fleet of A350-900s, the carrier said in a US Department of Transportation (DOT) filing that it hopes to start 2x weekly Chengdu Shuangliu-Boston flights with effect from December 17.

"SCAL reasonably projects that it will carry approximately 55,608 passengers between Chengdu and Boston during the first year of operations (based on an average load factor of 75%) and the route will generate income of approximately USD24.62 million during that period," it said.

Sichuan Airlines is expecting to add a total of four leased A350-900 aircraft to its fleet by 2019 (three from AerCap and one from Air Lease Corporation). The first is due to deliver from Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) "shortly".

The aircraft will be configured with 331 seats (28 Business Class and 303 Economy Class). Aside from Boston, the airline has also touted Tel Aviv Ben Gurion, Copenhagen Kastrup, and Cairo International as potential A350 destinations.