Airline History Blog - YESTERDAY'S AIRLINES

Air Great Wall: From Chongqing to Ningbo

3/6/2021

I am a major fan not only of Chinese airlines but also obscure airlines so an obscure Chinese airline is surely too good to pass up, especially when it has been represented in 400 scale twice by, that other lover of obscure airliners, Aeroclassics. Air Great Wall was one of many small airlines that appeared after the decentralisation of the Chinese air carrier market, but although some smaller carriers would grow into majors many others were swallowed up by the big three.

High Country: Chinese 757s in the Himalayas

27/7/2019

The Boeing 757 is renowned for having some grunt, which is one of the reasons it has gained a second life on transatlantic duties. It also makes it ideal for operating in hot and high destinations where the thin air makes thrust important. The Western regions of China include the foothills of the Himalayas right up to the Tibetan plateau and the 757 proved its worth in these challenging conditions.

Soviet Airbuses in China: Xinjiang's IL-86s

23/7/2019

Even when it was first put into service the Soviet IL-86 was hardly a picture of modernity or efficiency, so it is little surprise that on the foreign market it was not a popular choice. Nonetheless, a few aircraft did make it out of the CIS and three ended up with Xinjiang Airlines in China, one of China's first non-CAAC airlines.

Bleeding Edge: Oasis Hong Kong

18/1/2019

There’s no doubt that low cost airlines have radically altered the face of the industry within the last twenty years, but primarily these have been narrowbody operators with A320s and 737s. In recent years the movement has been into long haul low cost and it appears to be working for more carriers. Unfortunately, being on the cutting edge leaves you open to bleeding, something that the second long-haul low-cost airline (after Laker Airways), Oasis Hong Kong, learnt to its cost.

Hainan Specials Pt2: Scenic 800s

11/12/2018

Hainan Airlines had been the first airline in China to operate the next generation series 737-800 and given that they began to colour their older series 300s with special schemes it is no surprise that they also chose the newer 800s to gain some colour.

Hainan Specials Pt1: Floral 300s

8/12/2018

Hainan Airlines is nowadays a well known and respected airline. Its beginnings were much less grand but by 2000 it had innovated its way to success achieving a number of firsts for Chinese airlines. For Westerners however it was probably the advent of China’s first special schemes that raised its profile the most.

Hainan Airlines: The Beginning of a Dynasty

30/11/2018

The HNA Group has grown to become a behemoth of an organisation owning stakes in such diverse organisations as The Hilton Hotel chain, Deutsche Bank, Swissport and airport caterer Gategroup as well as a collection of airlines both within and outside of China. The start of it all however was Hainan Airlines, which grew from nothing rather mysteriously during the 1990s. Innovation played a major role but other factors were also key.

Cathay Cargo Pt2: 747-8Fs for the Future

17/8/2018

Cathay Pacific Cargo was in a strong position in 2007 and in November placed its largest ever direct order with Boeing. This incuded 7 extra Boeing 777-300ERs but more importantly a commitment to 10 747-8Fs with 14 further purchase rights. At the time CX Cargo still had 6 747-400ERFs and a pair of 747-400BCFs on order. The idea at the time was to use the 747-8Fs for growth and to replace the 747-200Fs but the global financial crisis changed all that and instead the 200s were replaced largely by the 400ERFs.

Panda Buses: Sichuan's A320s, the First in China

26/6/2018

Sichuan province is one of China's most important and diverse. Today its home airline has grown into as major carrier but it was the acquisition of new Airbuses that gave it the leg-up it needed to fend off Air China and others. Naturally to celebrate Sichuan looked to the province's most famous inhabitants - a certain big black and white bear.

Pork for Planes: Sichuan's TU-154s

31/5/2018

The late 1980s and early 1990s saw a proliferation of small Chinese airlines in addition to the major regional bueraus spawned from CAAC. Many of these smaller carriers were swallowed up in the great agglomeration of 2003 but some like Sichuan Airlines have gone from strength to strength. In Sichuan's case this is despite a formative period with obsolete equipment.

CAAC Tupolevs: 154s in China Pt2

8/5/2018

Although the PLAAF and its China United subsidiary would get the first 4 TU-154s in China the CAAC itself would acquire some of this first batch of TU-154s too. In fact it got the lion's share with thirteen aircraft joining in 1985/86. They didn't remain with the CAAC for very long however due to the changes afoot in the Chinese industry.

CUA Tupolevs: 154s in China Pt1

26/4/2018

Despite being fellow Communist states relations between the Soviet Union and China were often poor, especially during the 1970s. This and the limited needs of the CAAC meant that it wasn't until the mid-80s that TU-154s found their way to China, by which time they were obsolete. So why were the Chinese buying them at all?

Cathay Cargo: Global Jumbo Freighters

13/4/2018

Cathay Pacific has been in the cargo business since it began operations in 1946 when it uplifted 15 tonnes. It has grown that modest result into one of the largest airfreight businesses in the world, largely off the backbone of the Boeing 747-400F. Success and expansion have gone hand in hand at least until the Global Financial Crisis negatively impacted the air cargo marketplace.

Air China A330 Specials Pt2: Pavilion Liners

6/9/2017

Air China followed up its programme of Olympic themed aircraft with a pair of quite wonderful special schemes to celebrate their First and Business class products. Air China rebranded and relaunched its high-end offerings at the end of 2006 with First Class becoming 'Forbidden Pavilion First Class' and Business Class becoming 'Capital Pavilion Business Class'.

Air China A330 Specials Pt1: Sacred Flame Liner

3/9/2017

The 2008 Beijing Olympic games marked a major milestone in China's aim of being internationally recognised and it was no surprise that the state pulled out all the stops to deliver on its promises. To that end the government controlled airlines got involved also with the flag carrier Air China being front and centre. One of the most important duties to be performed by the airline was carrying the Olympic flame itself, though this did turn out to be somewhat controversial.