Above: Seatback TVs will be available to all passengers traveling on the new service.

Qatar Airways has announced it will begin a new route to Chengdu from early next year. The Doha-based carrier will begin the thrice-weekly service on March 19, using its two-class A330 aircraft, which has capacity for 236 in economy and 24 in business class.

Flight QR884 will depart Doha at 2.45 a.m. every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday to arrive in Chengdu at 2.40 p.m..

Return flight QR885 will depart Chengdu at 1 a.m. on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays to arrive back in Qatar at 4.55 a.m..

Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, is a gateway to the Chinese Himalayas and a crucial business hub for western China. It will be the sixth Chinese destination for Qatar—the airline currently operates 38 flights each week from Doha  to Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Chongqing.