BEIRUT: France’s national carrier Air France launched Sunday its first direct flight from Marseille to Beirut, offering travelers a quicker way to get to and from the two popular Mediterranean destinations.

Eighty-five passengers, the first to travel the new lane, exited an Airbus 320 Sunday morning and then attended a reception for the occasion inside Rafik Hariri International Airport.

“The decision to open a Marseille-to-Beirut direct route stems from the role of the Rafik Hariri International Airport as an important, main destination in the region,” Michel Bou Abboud, general manager of Air France in Lebanon, told reporters.

He added that opening the route came after extensive research on the economic benefits of such a decision.

The airline is expected to have three flights every week between Marseille and Beirut. The flights are likely to operate Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

“To ensure the success of this project, the company adopted low prices that accommodate the tourism activity between the two countries,” Abboud added. The airplane received a warm welcome as a firefighting truck splashed it with water.