Greater Bay Airlines has obtained AOC, its Air Transport License yet to be issued

 Report by : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA / Image courtesy : Greater Bay Airlines

Greater Bay Airlines, founded by Shenzhen-based Donghai Airlines Chairman Huang Chubiao, applied for the "Air Operator Certificate" (AOC) from the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department in  July 2020. When the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department responded to media inquiries on 8 October 2021, it stated that it had issued the AOC under the established mechanism to Greater Bay Airlines.

However, Greater Bay Airlines still needs to wait for the Air Transport License to be issued before it can set off to operate scheduled flights. As Cathay Pacific made representations to the Hong Kong Air Transport Licensing Authority earlier, the Hong Kong Air Transport Licensing Authority needs to hold a closed-door hearing, which is scheduled to be held at the end of December 2021.

The Civil Aviation Department of Hong Kong stated that the Civil Aviation Department received application for air operation permit from Greater Bay Airlines in July 2020. After carefully and comprehensively assessing that the applicant's abilities in all aspects meet the requirements of the Civil Aviation Department, the Director of Civil Aviation has issued the AOC to Greater Bay Airlines in accordance with the established mechanism.

In addition, Greater Bay Airlines announced on its website that it has appointed Jardine Air Services as its ground handler at the Hong Kong International Airport.

Greater Bay Airlines announced earlier that the first passenger plane has arrived  in Hong Kong and the second passenger plane will be delivered in October. The airline has also hired several pilots and flight attendants. It aimed to launch flights to Singapore, Suvarnabhumi and Phuket in the fourth quarter of 2021 but since it has not yet obtained its Air Transport License, it cannot launch scheduled flights until 2022 unless these are charter flights.

Greater Bay Airlines has applied to operate flights to 104 destinations in mainland China, North Asia and Southeast Asia. It aims to own 10 B737-800 aircraft by 2022 and more than 30 B737-800 aircraft by 2026.