Chinese name of Air Travel officially renamed as Hunan Airlines

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA

Image courtesy : Hunan Airlines / Air Travel 

After completing the change of industrial and commercial registration materials and obtaining the new operating license issued by CAAC, Hunan Airlines completed the supplementary operation certification work on 1 December 2020, and obtained the operation certification after the main operating base and the air carrier name were changed. The formalities were all completed, and Hunan officially welcomed the first local airline.

It is reported that Hunan Airlines has started the work of changing the paint livery of its fleet at the same time. It will soon unveil the new livery of Hunan Airlines, retaining the words "Air Travel" at the meantime. In addition, the Chinese name and logo of Hunan Airlines are gradually replacing the previous image on tickets and flight information inquiries. Besides, tickets sold under the names of "Air Travel" and "Hongtu Airlines" are being honoured by Hunan Airlines, according to its web-site.

Hunan Airlines / Air Travel focus now is on Changsha, the capital of Hunan Province, actively integratesinto the "Changsha four-hour aviation economic circle", and combines the Internet technology, tourism resources and channel advantages of shareholders of the same journey, and strives to create "Internet +" boutique aviation.

Hunan Airlines, formerly known as Yunnan Hongtu Airlines Co., Ltd., made its maiden flight in May 2016. The original main operating base was located at Kunming Changshui International Airport. After Tongcheng became a shareholder in 2017, it became the world's first airline controlled by a new Internet economy company.  In September 2019, the Hunan Provincial Government's Caixin Emerging Industry Fund became a shareholder and became the second largest shareholder.

As an important province in central China, Hunan has a wide range of radiation. The "Changsha Four-Hour Aviation Economic Circle" covers 31 provinces (regions, cities, autonomous regions) and Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, and a four-hour route network to major countries in East Asia, Southeast Asia and South Asia. It covers a large number of important tourist destinations and regions with the fastest economic growth and the most dynamic development in the world today. The entry of Hunan Airlines has filled the gap of local airlines, and will realize the company's long-term sustainable development by continuously integrating into the overall construction plan of the "Changsha Four-Hour Aviation Economic Circle".

Hunan Airlines now has 12 all-Airbus A320 series models, including three NEO advanced models, with an average age of about 3 years. They serve 31 cities across the country, including Kunming, Changsha, Nanjing, Chengdu, Wuxi and Qingdao. 

At present, Hunan Airlines has integrated into the "Changsha four-hour aviation economic circle", and has made major breakthroughs in Changsha's central and southern regional route development. These include successive launches of Changsha - Kunming, Changsha - Cangyuan - Lijiang, Changsha - Chengdu, Changsha - Yantai, Changsha - Hailar and other Changsha-origin routes.