Airline History Blog - Yesterday's Airlines

Hainan Airlines: The Beginning of a Dynasty

1/12/2018

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.

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

27/6/2018

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.

1:400 Review of 2017: Panda & Skywings

13/1/2018

Panda Models and Skywings have both grown their brands in 2017 often sharing moulds but also doing their own thing. However the nature of their connection and their connection to other newer names in China is confusing at best. Certainly there are various moulds being shared between brands. Does this matter? I don't know - the models are almost universally excellent and the range has increased to the point that Westerners are beginning to take notice.

Air China A330 Specials Pt1: Sacred Flame Liner

4/9/2017

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.

Fledgling Phoenix: The COMAC ARJ21

5/6/2017

The Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China (COMAC) ARJ21-700 Xianfeng (Flying Phoenix) represents a major step into a high technology area for China as its first in service jet airliner. Nevertheless the end product is, truth be told, effectively obsolete upon delivery and staggeringly late into operations. The aircraft has been lampooned in the Western press and runs the risk of being a total failure. Despite that China continues to support the programme and the order book still appears healthy. 2017 is surely the make or break year for the ARJ21 to regain some credibility.

Cramming Them In: HK Express' New Airbuses

10/5/2017

HK Express has been a major factor in the infiltration of low cost travel options into Cathay Pacific's Hong Kong fortress. Operating from Hong Kong however has its problems namely high costs and restricted access to slots. HK Express is trying to combat both these problems and one way it has done this is to up capacity of its new aircraft.

Air Crane LCC: Jiangxi Air

25/3/2017

The low cost revolution is slowly coming to China now that the government and CAAC see the benefits that LCCs can bring to enable growth in underdeveloped regions. Accordingly most of the big four airline groups in China (China Eastern, China Southern and Hainan Airlines, but not Air China) have been working to transition existing airlines to the LCC model or create new budget carriers. One of the latest additions is within the China Southern stable, albeit through their nominally independent subsidiary Xiamen Airlines.

1/400 Review of 2016: Panda Models

9/1/2017

Panda Models only started production in April 2015 but have grown tremendously and had a stonking 2016, producing a range of excellent Boeing and Airbus narrowbodies plus some kickass GSE. In fact in 2016 they have produced only slightly less models than Gemini Jets and begun to both expand their range and look outside of China for subject matter. Are they the best manufacturer in 2016? Let's see...

Strait Blessings: Fuzhou Airlines

22/12/2016

Major airlines in Europe or the USA that wish to expand operations from a destination usually just negotiate with the airport and local authorities to open a hub. However in China the highly regulated state of the market and complex web of local authorities often means it makes more sense to create a subsidiary, especially when there are lucrative subsidies available and potential joint venture partners. Hainan Airlines parent HNA Group has been especially active in this area and Fuzhou Airlines is one of its recent startups.

Northwest Silk: Urumqi Air

19/12/2016

Hainan Airlines and the HNA Group have recently been getting a lot of practice setting up subsidiaries, which give it the local clout it can't get from using its own name and enable it to better compete against the big three Chinese majors. These efforts reach as far as even the remote northwest state of Xinjiang, and recently the HNA Group has also begun to connect its far flung airlines with a new low cost alliance.

A320NEO Delivery Review: Next Stop China

8/12/2016

The A320NEO (New Engine Option) as its name suggests represents a major development of the successful A320 series built primarily around the provision of a new powerplant. Though there are other improvements, externally it is only the new engines that define the type. Since 2012 even the NEOs large Sharklets on the wings have been applied to the existing model of A320 in new constructions and retrofits.

China Xinhua: Hainan's Beijing Chamaeleon

19/9/2016

The ownership of many Chinese airlines is murky and hard to understand, partly because of the controlling and obscure nature of the Chinese State and partly because of the myriad of state run companies. China Xinhua is something of an enigma, as though nowadays it still has jets it is hard to say whether it really exists at all! Indeed it is not alone in being an obscure part of the airline rich HNA group of companies.

Evergrande's Private Jet Extravagance

5/9/2016

You have to question how it is possible to legitamately become wealthy in a country like China, rife with corruption, cronyism and with such a controlling government as it has. Being worth over $7 billion, however you came by it, does however have its rewards. Super yachts, mansions, your own football club it makes you wonder why Mr Xu Jiayin only has an Airbus A319 as his private jet!

Shake It Off: AirAsia's Swift Bus

26/7/2016

AirAsia has had enormous success since its rebirth in 2001 and has a colourful and flamboyant eye for promotions, with many of its fleet wearing special liveries. In 2014 it combined with one of the world's most successful musicians and announced a sponsorship with Taylor Swift to support her Red tour in Asia.

High Plateau JV: Air China Inner Mongolia

14/6/2016

As Chinese airlines expand their operations they often seek to access funding from local governments and to do so they often form joint ventures with them rather than just moving some aircraft to that location. This gives them access to new markets but minimises risks associated with obstructive local government bodies and startup losses. In recent years these regional semi-independent branches of the main carriers have been popping up all over the place including remote Inner Mongolia.