News
China approves new American and United links and Air Guilin and Himalaya Airlines ready to launch
March 11th 2016
American Airlines (AA) on Wednesday announced a new daily Hong Kong-Los Angeles B777-300ER service starting September 7. In 2014, AA commenced a daily Hong Kong-Dallas route, which it said had “exceeded expectations”. Read More »
At rival United Airlines, the Star Alliance carrier this week officially announced a new thrice-weekly San Francisco-Hangzhou B787-9 flight from July 15, its fourth destination on the Mainland following Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu. It also flies to Hong Kong and it plans a seasonal San Francisco-Xian B787-8 service from May 10 to October 29.
This year, Air China, China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, Beijing Capital Airlines and Hainan Airlines have announced either new China-North America links or increased frequency on existing routes.
Himalaya Airlines, a joint-venture between Tibet Airlines (49%) and Nepal's Himalayan Infrastructure Fund Aviation Investment and Yeti World Investment (51%), on Wednesday received its maiden A320 on lease from a Chinese lessor. With start-up capital of $25 million, the carrier plans to launch daily services to Delhi and Doha next month.
Air Guilin has taken delivery of its first A319, sourced from parent Capital Airlines, itself an HNA Group offshoot. The carrier is expected to commence domestic operations next month.
HNA, the conglomerate that’s recently acquired Bohai Leasing ($7.6 billion), Swissport ($2.8 billion) and Ingram Micro Inc. ($6 billion), is closing in on the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, which includes the Radisson and Park Plaza brands. If HNA’s bid is successful, it is expected to pay approximately $2 billion for the asset. HNA is the largest shareholder in the Spanish NH Hotel Group.
On the fleet front, Air China has put its ten remaining B777-200s up for sale. The jets were delivered between 1998 and 2001, according to China Beijing Equity Exchange. The last scheduled flight of the B777s is for March 26 from Beijing to Shenzhen. Air China also is selling a B747-400 for 36.9 million yuan ($5.65 million).
