Zhejiang Loong Air receives first aircraft
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New Chinese passenger carrier, Zhejiang Loong Airlines, has taken delivery of its first Airbus A320 aircraft.
The new single-aisle jet touched down at Hangzhou’s Xiaoshan International Airport on 16 December 2013, and will be joined by a second A320 on 22 December. The two aircraft are expected to be put into service on 26 December, marking the launch of Zhejiang Loong’s commercial passenger operations.
Zhejiang Loong placed a firm order with Airbus in September 2013 for 11 standard A320s and nine A320neos, worth US$1.84 billion at list prices. The airline expects to receive another four A320s in the first half of 2014.
Formerly a cargo airline based at Hangzhou, Zhejiang Loong received permission to expand its business scope to also include passenger services earlier this year.
The carrier will initially offer domestic services to destinations including Chengdu, Xi’an, Xiamen，Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Kunming, Chongqing, Changsha and Changchun. It also plans to launch international routes in three to five years.
Zhejiang Loong is one of several new passenger airlines to be launched in China since government regulations on the creation of new carriers were relaxed earlier this year. Other new entries into the market in the coming months and years will include Donghai Airlines, Sutong Airlines, Ruili Airlines, Urumqi Airlines and Qingdao Airlines.
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