Hainan brings forward Belgrade launch plans

Hainan Airlines has adjusted its application with the Civil Aviation Administration of China over its planned flights between Beijing and Belgrade via Prague. In a notice filed on May 31, the Chinese carrier has requested to launch the new service in August instead of September as initially planned. Furthermore, the airline has revised its equipment on the route from the Airbus A330-300 aircraft to a mix of A330-200/300s and Boeing 787 Dreamliners. Hainan has both the -800 and -900 variants of the type in its fleet, boasting 213 and 293 seats respectively. On the other hand, its A330-200 has the capacity to carry 222 travellers, while the -300 version has 292 seats.

In its modified application, Hainan Airlines has also requested to run flights to Belgrade up to three times per week (on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays), instead of the initially filed two weekly schedule, although the carrier could still opt for the latter without any further notice to the regulator. The Aviation Administration has now issued a deadline until Tuesday, June 6 at 11.00 CEST for any comments, feedback or objections to the planned new service. Despite the filing, Hainan Airlines still has the right to modify some aspects of its new flights, such as the launch date, once it is granted a permit. The carrier has also requested slots at Prague and Belgrade airports.

The majority of passengers flying between China and Serbia travel by Aeroflot via Moscow, according to Sabre Airline Solutions. However, most of the traffic flow between the two countries is between Shanghai and Belgrade, not Beijing. This is believed to be because the largest portion of Chinese nationals residing in Serbia have their origins in two provinces south of the Shanghai region. The planned new service between Beijing and Belgrade via Prague will cater primarily for businesspeople and Chinese tourists. Last week, Hainan Airlines said it plans to spend $4.2 billion on new planes, as it expands its fleet to take advantage of strong demand from Chinese travellers. The company's 238-strong fleet currently consists of 205 Boeing and 33 Airbus aircraft. The carrier opened 42 international routes last year and now has a network of more than 1.000 routes, 900 of which are domestic. Hainan Airlines, a unit of Chinese conglomerate HNA Group, said it expected traveller demand to keep improving with the growth of the Chinese economy and consumer incomes. "The fleet expansion will grow the company's capacity and act as strategic preparation for the company's plans to expand its route network and increase its market share", Hainan Airlines said in a statement.