HNA Group to launch new Chinese airline

HNA Group, which owns Hainan Airlines and Urumqi Airlines, has been granted permission to launch another new airline in China. Fuzhou Airlines, based in southeast China’s Fujian province, has received its Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). The startup carrier, which will commence operations in October, is a joint venture between HNA Group and three other state-owned companies. Hainan Airlines will hold a 60% stake in the new airline, and will initially supply it with three of its Boeing 737-800 aircraft, plus pilots and cabin crew.