For Immediate Release: July 30, 2009
Beijing, China - Hainan Airlines, China’s largest non-state owned airline, has applied to the U.S. Department of Transportation and Hawai‘i Department of Transportation to operate the first nonstop scheduled service from The People’s Republic of China to the Hawaiian Islands. Once approved, service between Beijing, China and Honolulu, Hawai‘i will operate once a week beginning this fall, with a specific start date to be announced. Hainan plans to eventually increase the frequency of the Beijing-Honolulu service up to three flights a week as demand builds.
Hainan will use a three-class Airbus A340-600 on the new route offering Business Class with eight lie-flat seats and 80-inch pitch, 60 Premium Economy with generous 60-inch pitch and 220 comfortable Economy Class seats. Hainan Airlines currently operates nonstop between Beijing and Seattle four times a week, a service that began in June 2008.
The new service is primarily targeted at Chinese tourists, a growing market even in the current economic downturn. Hawai‘i has always been a “dream” destination for Asians, and the new Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and China for leisure travel has spurred demand for the service. Chinese tourists have the distinction of spending more per person per day on international travel than visitors from most other countries, which is good news for Hawai‘i’s tourism industry.
“We are excited to be able to finally bridge Hawai‘i to China and to link the two capital cities of Beijing and Honolulu,” said Joel Chusid, general manager for North America for Hainan Airlines, who noted that the company’s headquarters are located in Hainan Island, considered the ‘Hawai‘i of China.’ “We also expect that some of our travelers will use Hawai‘i as an alternative gateway for travel between China and the United States mainland, which can provide convenience and reduced travel time. Visits to Hawai‘i’s neighbor islands are also anticipated.”
“We are pleased that Hainan Airlines has filed to become the first airline to offer nonstop direct service between Hawai‘i and China,” said Governor Linda Lingle, who met with Chusid and other Hainan Airlines officials earlier this year. “Hainan Airlines’ new service to Hawai‘i builds on our efforts to increase visitors from emerging markets and also strengthens our ongoing relationship with the China National Tourism Administration to increase two-way travel between Hawai‘i and China.”
Seats will also be available for travelers desiring to fly nonstop from Honolulu to China at competitive fares. Hainan operates an extensive network from its hub in Beijing to points throughout China.
Since the opening of its first international route in 2001, Hainan Airlines has steadily expanded its route network, opening new markets between China and abroad for the first time. Following the opening of several new routes to Europe and Russia, Hainan Airlines most recently added Beijing-Moscow and Beijing-Dubai-Luanda (Angola) a few weeks ago.
Last December, Hainan Airlines was named “Best Airline – China” by Global Traveler Magazine in their GT Awards. Earlier the carrier also gained the recognition of Skytrax, a leading global aviation research institution, which bestowed the honor of the “Best Airline in China” in the Skytrax World Airline Awards.
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About Hainan Airlines
Founded in 1993, Hainan Airlines carries more than 14 million passengers annually and flies to more than 60 domestic and international cities, including the capitals of every Chinese province. Hainan Airlines’ international flight destinations include Budapest, Brussels and St. Petersburg, with most recent additions being new services to Berlin, Taipei, Luanda, Moscow, Dubai and Seattle.
Within North America, toll-free reservations and information numbers are 1-888-688-8813 for English speakers, 1-888-688-8876 for Chinese speakers. The North American website is www.hnair.com/us.
