China’s latest airline takes off

Another new airline has taken to the skies in China.

Fuzhou Airlines, which is based at southeast China’s Fujian province, commenced commercial operations on 30 October 2014, flying between Fuzhou and Beijing.

The inaugural flight departed from the airline’s new home base at Fuzhou’s Changle International Airport, using a 164-seat Boeing 737-800 aircraft supplied by its parent company, Hainan Airlines.

Passengers board the inaugural Fuzhou Airlines flight to Beijing
Passengers board the inaugural Fuzhou Airlines flight to Beijing
And following the Beijing launch, Fuzhou Airlines will now immediately commence scheduled services to several other major Chinese cities including Shanghai, Xi’an, Haikou, Taiyuan, Chongqing, Hefei, Kunming and Tianjin. The carrier plans to increase its fleet to five aircraft by end of this year.

And according to its mid-term plan, Fuzhou Airlines will build its fleet size to 40 aircraft by 2020, and expand its route map to include more domestic destinations and cross-Strait services to Taiwan.

It is likely to provide competition to Fujian province’s only other major local carrier, Xiamen Airlines.

Fuzhou Airlines is one of several new start-up airlines that have recently launched, or are planning to take to the skies in China. Others include Qingdao Airlines, Zhejiang Loong Airlines, Urumqi Airlines, 9 Air, Donghai Airlines, Sutong Airlines and Ruili Airlines.

sourced:traveldailymedia.com