News
Hainan Airlines sets its sights on new markets
June 24th 2016
No week goes by without major news from Hainan Airlines and its parent, Haikou-headquartered HNA Group. This week, Hainan said it planned to resume thrice-weekly A330-200 flights between its Beijing hub and Cairo from December, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). Read More » At the moment, Star Alliance carrier, EgyptAir, is the sole operator on the route, with thrice-weekly frequencies.
Hainan has served Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Khartoum and Luanda from Beijing, but it terminated the routes following operating losses and political instability.
HNA has launched two joint ventures in Africa. In 2012, it launched Ghana-based Africa World Airlines (AWA), in cooperation with the China-Africa Development Fund, Ghana SAS Financial Group and Ghana Social Security and National Insurance Trust. In 2015, the conglomerate purchased a 6.2% stake in South Africa’s Comair.
In separate news, Hainan Airlines COO, William Zhang, told The Irish Times the carrier would “very likely” launch a Beijing-Dublin flight “once the time was right”. HNA recently purchased Irish aircraft lessor, Avolon Holdings, for $7.6 billion.
