China Southern Airlines plans to deploy 20 updated passenger planes worth RMB6 billion (approx: US$969 million) for its Hainan operations in the next five years. This will expand China Southern's fleet in Hainan to more than 40 aircraft and fixed assets of RMB18 billion (approx: US$3 billion) by 2020.
The first carrier to set up bases in both Haikou and Sanya on Hainan Island, China Southern consolidating the two bases in 2004 and has since accumulated earnings of RMB32.8 billion (approx: US$5.3 billion) from its mainstream business and paid RMB2.13 billion (approx: US$344 million)in to the civil aviation construction fund and local taxes.
In the past three years, China Southern has carried a total of 17.552 million passenger/trips. It currently operates 31 planes in Hainan contributing to 25% of the island’s total air transportation capacity. The carrier operates about 160 landings and take-offs daily in Hainan with capacity for more than 7.1 million passengers annually.
China Southern Hainan Branch GM Zhen Wang said: “Hainan is an important emerging market and since its designation as an international tourism destination five years ago, China Southern has already increased capacity in Haikou and Sanya by 16 planes/trips and replaced its fleet of Boeing 737, increasing fixed asset worth in Hainan by more than RMB5 billion (approx: US$807 million).”
In the upcoming summer and autumn, China Southern will increase frequency of the Hainan-Guangzhou route to 32 flights daily and launch four new routes - Haikou-Guilin-Chengdu, Haikou-Chongqing-Lanzhou, Sanya-Xian-Hohhot and Sanya-Xian-Baotou, connecting Hainan with the southwest and northwest regional markets.
China Southern Hainan will also open a Sanya-Wuhan-Dalian air route to service the northeast and complete its nation-wide network coverage.(Translation by David)
