First Acquire Hebei Airlines, Then Expand Long-Haul Flights – Xiamen Airlines to Fly Europe from Fujian with 787 in 2015 Summer

▲Xiamen Airlines aims to operate Fujian–Europe routes with the Boeing 787. (Photo/Xiamen Airlines)

Reported by Chen Ruizhong / Compiled by Staff

Starting from October this year, China-based Xiamen Airlines has not only acquired a 99.23% stake in Hebei Airlines for 749 million RMB (approximately NT$3.83 billion), but also its second Boeing 787 aircraft has officially joined the Xiamen Airlines fleet. The airline plans to operate flights from Fujian to Europe using the Boeing 787 during the 2015 summer vacation.

Hebei Airlines is a provincially-owned air transport enterprise, which commenced operations in June 2010. It currently operates 11 aircraft and serves 32 large and medium-sized cities across China. In 2013, it carried 1.439 million passengers. After the equity transfer, Hebei Airlines will retain its current name and operational structure. Xiamen Airlines stated that it hopes to enhance Hebei Airlines’ industrial and operational competitiveness through improved corporate management practices.

In terms of fleet expansion, Xiamen Airlines has ordered six Boeing 787s, two of which have been delivered so far. These are mainly used for routes between Fujian and Beijing, and the third is expected to be delivered in February 2015 to serve the peak travel season. A team manager at Xiamen Airlines Taiwan branch also mentioned that the airline is actively working on launching international routes, and plans to use the 787 model to open direct flights from Fujian to Europe during the 2015 summer vacation.