Air China A319. Photo: By Rob Finlayson.
 
Air China signed an agreement with the Dalian government to launch Dalian Airlines, replacing Hainan Airlines, which had reached agreement with the local government last year to launch the airline. The venture, which has yet to receive CAAC approval, has no specific timetable on when it will be launched. According to the cooperative agreement, the new entity will be based in Dalian and is expected to open some international routes to Korea and Japan, as well as domestic routes to different capital cities of various provinces and coastal cities.
 
Hainan Airlines signed a similar agreement with Dalian local government in August 2009 as part of its domestic expansion plan (ATW Daily News, Aug. 19, 2009). However, an industry insider said there were "some differences between HNA and Dalian government," which slowed down the launch preparation. This "created an opportunity for Air China, which is much stronger than HNA," to replace it.
 
There is still a question whether or not the new venture can get the green light from CAAC as the regulator announced in October it is continuing to suspend approval of new entrants owing to safety concerns in the aftermath of the crash of a Henan Airlines jet in August.
 
SOURCE: atwonline.com
 
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