Donghai, Qingdao Airlines announce IPO plans

Donghai Airlines (DZ, Shenzhen) is planning to go public in May next year. China's WCARN news reports the carrier is seeking funds to aid its ambitious route and fleet expansion plans.

Founded in 2006, the Sichuan Airlines (3U, Chengdu) subsidiary currently operates five B737-300(F)s and six B737-800s on domestic passenger routes while cargo operations extend to the sub-region. As recently reported, Donghai plans to acquire a total of 120 aircraft by 2025 including B787-9s for long haul services as well as additional B737-800s and B737 MAX aircraft.

In related news, the recently privatized Qingdao Airlines (QW, Qingdao) has announced its own plans to pursue an IPO of its own, albeit in 2020. As with Donghai Airlines, Qingdao is in the process of rapidly expanding its fleet which is expected to reach 102 by the end of 2025. Currently, it operates six A320-200 (sl)s on flights to more than ten destinations throughout China. In addition to three more A320s due for delivery before year-end, Qindao also expects to add five A320s and eighteen A320neos from next year onwards.

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Photo:João Luis Pessoa - TLS

Qingdao Airlines to change ownership; rebrand as Xinlong Air

Qingdao Airlines (QW, Qingdao) is to be rebranded Xinlong Air in the wake of plans to massively restructure its shareholding later this month. 

 A filing with the Qingdao Property Rights Exchange shows that at the end of last month, state-backed Qingdao Transport Development Group Co. announced plans to dispose of its 25% stake for CNY251 million (USD40.4 million). The parastatal is currently holding public consultations with a decision expected by the end of the month. 

 In the same vein, other shareholder Shandong Airlines (SC, Jinan) has also put in motion plans to sell off its 20% stake to New Nanshan International Holdings Ltd., a subsidiary of Xinlong's largest shareholder, Nanshan Group. Should the sale go through, it would give Nanshan Group a 75% stake in the carrier thus shifting its ownership structure from public/private to exclusively private.

 With six A320-200 (sl)s, Qingdao Airlines currently serves Changsha Datuopu, Chengdu, and Harbin from its Qingdao hub. Plans are in the pipeline to grow its fleet to sixty aircraft by 2020 and 100 by 2025. 

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Qingdao Airlines Receives Its Sixth A320 Aircraft

A brand new Airbus A320 of Qingdao Airlines with a camellia japonica flower painted on its tail -- landed smoothly at Qingdao Liuting International Airport (TAO) at 11:40 a.m. on May 30, marking the successful introduction of the carrier's sixth aircraft.

The latest A320-214 jetliner is configured with 8 business seats and 150 economy seats. With the six aircraft added to the Qingdao-based carrier's fleet, its overall transport capacity will be further promoted during the upcoming summer travel peak

wcarn

QINGDAO AIRLINES - A320-200Sharklets - F-WWBF

Alain Charpentier - TLS

Qingdao Airlines Welcomes Its Fifth A320 Aircraft

A brand new Airbus A320 aircraft -- with a camellia japonica flower painted on its tail -- landed smoothly at Qingdao Liuting International Airport (TAO) at 1:10 p.m. on May 1, marking the successful introduction of Qingdao Airlines (QW)'s fifth aircraft.

This is also the second A320 aircraft the Qingdao-based airline introduced this year. What's more, its fleet is expected to reach 9 by year end.

The latest A320-214 jetliner is configured with 8 business class seats and 150 economy class seats. After some preparatory work, the newly introduced airliner will operate the Qingdao-Xi'an service from May 6.

Qingdao Airlines Takes Delivery of Its 4th A320 Aircraft

A brand-new Airbus A320 aircraft from Toulouse, France arrived smoothly at Qingdao Liuting International Airport (TAO) and joined the fleet of Qingdao Airlines (QW), bringing its fleet size to 4 aircraft.

The new A320 is the first A320 aircraft introduced by Qingdao Airlines in 2015. By the end of the year, the airline's fleet size is expected to reach 9.

The new A320-214 aircraft features a two-cabin layout with 158 seats including 8 first class seats and 150 economy class seats, which is planned to operate Qingdao-Hangzhou-Fuzhou route from Jan

Wcarn

Qingdao Airlines to Operate 9 Aircraft in 2015

WCARN
File photo: Qingdao Airlines received its first-ever aircraft - a Sharklet-equipped Airbus A320 on April 10, 2014.
 China's start-up carrier Qingdao Airlines (QW) will expand its fleet to 9 aircraft and open 15 new domestic routes connecting Qingdao and Shenzhen, Nanning, Xi'an, Guiyang, Hangzhou and Kunming, the reporter learnt from Qingdao Liuting International Airport (TAO) on Wednesday.

Since its maiden flight in April 2014, Qingdao Airlines has successfully launched seven domestic services to Beijing, Changchun, Changsha, Chengdu, Harbin, Nanjing and Shanghai using its three Airbus A320 aircraft.

 At the initial stage, the regional airline adopted a point-to-point sales policy with apparently different load factors from 74% to 87%. On the basis of in-depth analysis, Qingdao Airlines was recommended to make full use of existing route network to actively develop domestic transfer business from Northeastern cites to Southern and Southwestern cities through Qingdao while in efforts to promote domestic and international transfer business at the same time.

According to the airport, in order to advance the regional hub construction in an all-round manner and reinforce the portal function for Japan and South Korea, Qingdao Airport has been positively strengthening mutual communication with target airlines particularly Qingdao Airlines in hope of constantly developing the domestic and international transfer products, and greatly promoting its transfer ability by relying on the local superior geographical advantage.
In 2015, Qingdao Airlines will continue to strengthen the communication and cooperation with Qingdao Airport, constantly expand the domestic transfer business scope, develop a wider range of transfer products in combination with the base airlines, such as China Eastern Airlines (MU) and Shandong Airlines (SC), and accelerate the process of becoming a regional hub airport in order to achieve the win-win situation between airports and airlines.

Qingdao Airlines Takes Delivery of Its 3rd A320 Aircraft

WCARN
Qingdao Airlines took delivery of its third A320 aircraft on Sep. 27.

A brand new Airbus A320 aircraft equipped with Sharklets landed at Qingdao Liuting International Airport (TAO) on Sep 27 after hours of flight from France and joined the fleet of Qingdao Airlines (QW). This is the third aircraft of the Qingdao-based airline.

The newly introduced A320 aircraft, equipped with fuel-saving Sharklets, features a two-class cabin with a capacity of 158 seats - 8 in business class and 150 in economy class.

The airline will start operating this brand new A320 on Qingdao-Nanjing-Haikou service from Sep.8, to provide more choices for travelers from Qingdao to Northeast China.

 Since its maiden flight on April 26, the airline has opened several popular domestic services to Beijing, Chengdu, Changchun, Changsha, Harbin, Hailar and Shanghai Pudong, using its two A320 aircraft. The new arrival will help expand its fleet and enrich its network, said the carrier.
According to the planning of the airline, up to 50 medium-range aircraft will be introduced in six years between 2014 and 2020. Building itself into a "boutique airline", Qingdao Airlines aims to own a fleet of 100 aircraft by 2025, handling 20 million passengers annually and achieve main revenue of 20 billion yuan, to be a large-size carrier in China.