Mongolian Airlines to become Hunnu Air; to seek Skyteam membership

Mongolian Airlines is set to change its name to Hunnu Air and will apply for Skyteam membership following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with China Eastern Airlines which will see the Chinese carrier aide Hunnu Air in bringing its service delivery and corporate culture up to international standards. Under the MoU's provisions, China Eastern will provide catering, ground support and maintenance service for Hunnu Air at Shanghai Pudong as well as providing comprehensive crew training. In return, Hunnu Air stands to gain a codeshare deal on a possible Shanghai Pudong to Ulaanbaatarroute but this, however, is dependent on it passing its IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA). Additionally, Hunnu Air will provide ticket sales for China Eastern in Mongolia, while China Eastern will help Hunnu Air gain market presence in China. Mongolian Airlines Group mentioned the similarity of its current brand name as the key reason for adjusting its name to Hunnu Air.