Hunan Hongtu Airlines based on Air Travel officially unveiled in Changsha on 2 July 2020

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan

                  / KUCINTA SETIA

Images courtesy : CARNOC

On 2 July 2020, Hunan Hongtu Airlines (hereinafter referred to as Air Travel) was officially unveiled in the Changsha Linkong Economic Demonstration Zone, which marked its official settlement in Changsha Linkong Economic Demonstration Zone. The Standing Committee of the Hunan Provincial Party Committee and the Executive Deputy Governor of the Provincial People's Government Xie Jianhui, the Deputy Secretary-General of the Provincial Government Zhang Zhijun, and the chairman and president of Air Travel Wu Jiazhu attended the unveiling ceremony.

The official unveiling ceremony of Air Travel marks the official launch of the first local airline in Hunan. After settling in Hunan, Air Travel will continue to engage in domestic air passenger and cargo transportation business with Changsha Huanghua International Airport as the main operating base.

Wu Jiazhu, chairman and president of Air Travel, said that Air Travel has officially become the first local airline in Hunan. In the future, it will be based on the local area, take advantage of its unique regional advantages, Internet technology advantages and tourism resource advantages, continue to expand its fleet size, and open up special boutique routes to carry out strategic industrial layout around the base of Changsha, accelerate the integration and expansion of the four-hour aviation economic circle in Changsha, and strive to create an "Internet+" boutique airline with Hunan cultural and service characteristics.

Hu Hebo, chairman of Hunan Caixin Financial Holding Group, said that in recent years, Hunan has accelerated the construction of a four-hour aviation economic circle strategy in Changsha, and Changsha Huanghua International Airport is accelerating the construction of a regional international aviation hub. The successful settlement of Red Earth Airlines is a successful case of combining government and market, finance and industry. In the future, Wealth Management will give full play to its advantages in comprehensive financial services, and will resonate with the same share of Red clay Airlines' shareholder, Tongcheng Tourism Group, to promote the continuous growth and improvement of red clay airlines, and help build the "four-hour aviation economic circle" Plug in the wings of "Internet+" with the development of tourism and other industries.

According to the plan of the Hunan Provincial Government, the local government is accelerating the construction of a "four-hour aviation economic circle", with Changsha as the center, covering 31 provinces (regions, cities) and Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan regions in China, and reaching the four countries in East Asia, Southeast Asia and South Asia. 

In the future, Air Travel will continue to carry out strategic industrial layout around the Changsha operating base, adhere to the positioning of Hunan local airlines, integrate the resources of the "aviation + tourism" travel industry chain in Hunan Province, and promote the construction of a global tourism base under the brand of "Jinxiu Xiaoxiang" , Layout aviation industry group, develop into a unique "Internet + boutique" airlines, help the construction of a strong civil aviation province in Hunan, become a mobile aerial business card in Hunan.

 Air Travel's strategic shareholder is Tongcheng Group. Formerly known as Hongtu Airlines, it is officially launched on 21 May 2016. It currently operates 12 A320 series aircraft, all Airbus A320 series aircraft, with an average age of 2.5 years. With an annual operating income of more than 1 billion yuan, it is one of the fastest-growing companies in China's civil aviation industry in recent years.

At the beginning of 2020, Air Travel, Tongcheng Travel and Tongcheng International Travel, a subsidiary of Tongcheng Group, jointly established Tongcheng Travel Group. According to public information, Tongcheng Travel's total revenue in 2018 was 13 billion yuan, and its business scale ranks among domestic travel agency groups. 

Wu Jiazhu said, "The main purpose of Tongcheng Air Travel is to reorganize the aviation and tourism businesses within the group, to take advantage of industrial synergy, and to strengthen the main business of air travel." Air Travel is undoubtedly a crucial strategic partner.

Relying on the rich travel resources of Tongcheng Air Travel, outstanding Internet operation capabilities and system research and development capabilities, Air Travel will also take advantage of the synergy of aviation and tourism industry, tap and integrate Hunan’s local high-quality tourism resources to help develop Hunan aviation tourism new model.