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Colorful Guizhou launched as Air China, China Express and Sichuan Airlines boost their fleets
January 8th 2016
Colorful Guizhou Airlines has commenced commercial operations with scheduled passenger flights between Guiyang and Bijie. Using its two Embraer 190s - set to grow to seven by year-end. The start-up will roll out services to Tongren, Chengdu, Tianjin, Zhuhai and Ningbo in coming weeks. Read More » Also known by its Chinese name, Duocai Guizhou Airlines, the carrier holds options on ten more E190s. Its fleet plan calls for a fleet of up to 30 aircraft by 2020 and “between 120 and 140 in the future”. The newcomer is a joint-venture between Guizhou Industrial Investment Group (95%) and Weining County Construction Investment Group (5%). The name “Colorful Guizhou” reflects the cultural diversity of the province, which is home to 49 ethnic minorities, almost 40% of the population.
Competition in Guizhou is bound to intensify after China Express Airlines, based at Guiyang Longdongbao International Airport like Colorful Guizhou, has placed a firm order for ten CRJ900 regional jets from Bombardier, raising its orders for the model to 38. With this transaction, China Express has exercised eight previously acquired options.
To date, 20 CRJ900s have been delivered to China’s first private regional airline, which was established in May 2006. “China Express is committed to providing air services to people in tier three and tier four cities in China. Our mission is to improve the connectivity by air for those communities,” said Wu Longjiang, the carrier’s president. “The CRJ900 is the right aircraft for our cooperation with major airlines on code sharing and connecting flights as well as cooperation with cities. It offers excellent economics and reliability and is well liked by our passengers.”
Sichuan Airlines has signed 144-month lease agreements with China Aircraft Leasing Group Holdings (CALC) for three A320s. The aircraft are to be delivered this year and join a fleet of 24 A319-100s, 48 A320-200s, 26 A321-200s, four A330-200s and four -300s.
In December, Sichuan’s parent airline, China Southern Airlines, the Mainland’s largest carrier, announced an order for 110 Boeing aircraft, for $10 billion at list prices. The aircraft will join its own fleet and that of another subsidiary, Xiamen Airlines, from 2017 to 2021. In late December, China Southern committed to another 10 A330-300s with deliveries from 2017 to 2019.
In Beijing, flag carrier Air China has ordered six more B777-300ERs to join the 20 of the aircraft type already in their fleet.
