China launches its first private airline

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Friday, March 11, 2005

China's first private airline Okay Airlines (奥凯航空 Aòkǎi Hángkōng) took off on its maiden flight today from Tianjin (200km north of Beijing) to Changsha (in Hunan province, central China) to Kunming (in Yunnan province).

The airline tried to start last Saturday, but it had problems with the paperwork from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). The price of a ticket was CNY 1,180 (US$ 143), but customers for the first flight got a 40% discount.

According to China Daily, three more private airlines will exist: Shanghai-based Spring International Airlines, Chengdu-based Eagle Airlines, and Gansu province-based Huaxia Airlines.

Sources

• "Private airline maiden flight jolting state-own monopoly" – The People's Daily, March 11, 2005

• Cao Desheng "First private airline starts maiden flight" – China Daily, March 11, 2005

• Louisa Lim "China private airline airborne" – BBC News, March 11, 2005

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