CHENGDU, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- A flight themed the "spicy culture" of southwest China's Sichuan Province has been launched, linking the city of Chengdu and Shanghai.

The flight is operated by Chengdu Airlines and the maiden flight took off at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport on Sunday.

The first batch of 180 passengers on board experienced the heat and enthusiasm of China's southwestern culture. They received a spicy gift package which included special chili powder, posters of enticing spicy food and red pepper-shaped cushions.

The travelers on the flight learned about Chengdu's spicy food culture and hot pot through short videos, reading materials and souvenirs.

"Spiciness is a label of Chengdu. We expect the 'spicy flight' to play a positive role in publicizing the city's culture and become a bridge linking the city's gourmet food and tourism with the rest of the world," said Zou Liping, vice-general manager of the brand quality management department of Chengdu Airlines.

Chengdu, as well as Sichuan province, has seen an increasing number of tourists from home and abroad in recent years. The passenger throughput of the Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport exceeded 50 million last year.

Sichuan is home to giant pandas and many tourist attractions including Jiuzhaigou- a UNESCO World Heritage site, Mount Emei and a giant Buddha statue carved into a cliff in Leshan Mountain.