Chang An Airlines resumes independent flight operations in the name of Air Changan on 9 May 2016

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan

                  / KUCINTA SETIA

Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals

Chang An Airlines, that received its Air Operator Certificate from CAAC Northwest Regional Administration on 5 April 2016 in the name of Air Changan, resumes independent flight operations on 9 May 2016. 

On 9 May 2016, Air Changan's first independent flight 9H8303 departs from Xi'an for Zhuhai at 9.30 am, arrives in Zhuhai at 12.05 pm before leaving Zhuhai for Xi'an at 1.10 pm and touching down in Xi'an at 3.50 pm under flight 9H8304.

Later at 3.40 pm on 9 May 2016, Air Changan's second flight 9H8307 leaves Xi'an for Haikou at 3.40 pm, touches down in Haikou at 6.40 pm before taking off for Xi'an at 8.10 pm and returning to Xi'an at 11.05 pm under flight 9H8308. 

According to the Call Centre of Air Changan in Xi'an, tickets are currently sold on its web-site www.airchangan.com and over phone conversations. Tickets are not available at external ticketing platforms such as Ctrip and Tuniu, and travel agents.

Air Changan's new daily flights from Xi'an to Haikou and Zhuhai mark the revival of the former Chang An Airlines, which was first launched in 1992 and later merged with Hainan Airlines in 2000. They end years of Chang An Airlines providing aircraft support and capacity to Hainan Airlines.

Air Changan initially operates a fleet of five Boeing 737-800 aircraft from its headquarters in Xi'an Xianyang International Airport. It operates domestic routes in China before flying abroad, with a key focus on cities along the former Silk Road in Central Asia and beyond.

Air Changan becomes the seventh Chinese airline with an operating base in Xi'an, following China Eastern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Tianjin Airlines, Joy Air and Shenzhen Airlines. It is the second new Chinese domestic airline to launch scheduled passenger flights this year after Jiangxi Air.

In September 2015, Hainan Airlines' parent company HNA took an additional 21.9 per cent stake in Chang An Airlines through a 1.01 billion yuan share purchase, raising its stake to 83.3 per cent.