Staff members and honored guests pose for a group picture before a Sichuan Airlines A330 passenger plane, the first one for the direct air route linking western China with Sydney, Australia, at the airport of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, Dec. 19, 2013. The departure of the plane marked the opening of the first direct air route linking western China with the Australian city. The airline will operate two-way flights twice per week on the route.