News
Mainland carriers continue route assault
July 22nd 2016
Air China subsidiary, Tibet Airlines, on Sunday launched its first international route, linking Chengdu with Koh Samui. The A319 route will operate three times a week. Read More » Tibet Airlines is an all-Airbus operator with a fleet of 14 A319s, two A320s and an A330-200HGW.
Separately, China’s first independent LCC, Spring Airlines, this week added a daily A320 service between Chengdu and Krabi, going head-to-head with incumbent Sichuan Airlines on the route. Spring also announced new routes from Guangzhou to Siem Reap and Ho Chi Minh City, starting on September 9.
Further west, Chongqing-based China Express Airlines has been granted approvals from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) to expand into international operations. According to Chinese media, the airline planned to launch Guiyang-Hanoi and Beihai-Hong Kong routes before it branched out to north-and southeast Asia.
The airline has a fleet 24 Bombardier CRJ-900ERs, but informed sources have told Orient Aviation that an order for A320/B737 jets is imminent, with the aim of operating a fleet of 54 aircraft by year end 2018.
In the interim, Guangzhou-based 9 Air last week took delivery of the first of 50 on-order directly purchased B737-800s. The aircraft will be the first to be installed with “Made in China” seats, manufactured by an AVIC subsidiary.
In other China news, Alitalia resumed service to the Mainland this week with four times a week flights between Beijing and Rome, with an A330 configures with 250 business, premium economy and economy seats.
KLM says it has acceded to the joint-venture agreement in place between sister carrier, Air France, and Shanghai’s China Eastern Airlines. KLM and China Eastern will codeshare on each other's Amsterdam-Pudong flights in addition to three new destinations.
Last week, China Eastern signed a deal with Panasonic Avionics for broadband connectivity on 84 aircraft, including 35 line-fits (15 A330-300s and 20 B777-300ERs) and 40 retrofits (31 A330-200s, eleven A330-300s, six B767s and a B737-800).
