Privately run Chinese carrier Spring Airlines aims to boost its fleet of aircraft to 100 by 2015 from just 13 now, and is only looking at adding Airbus (EAD.PA) A320 planes.
Reuters reported that the chairman of Spring Airlines, Wang Zhenghua, told reporters on the sidelines of an event to celebrate the carrier’s fourth anniversary that it planned to list its shares in Shanghai in the second half of next year.
Wang added that of the 100 aircraft planned for the fleet, about 30 would be purchased outright.
To remind you of the background of Spring Airlines: it started as a low-cost airline based in Shanghai. It was the first low-cost airline in China.
While the company has adopted the English name "Spring Airlines", the Chinese characters literally mean "Spring and Autumn Airlines". It was given the approval to be established on May 26, 2004, and started operations on July 18, 2005.
The airline took delivery of its first aircraft, an Airbus A320 (formerly of Lotus Air), on July 12, 2005, at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport. It started operations with a flight between Shanghai and Yantai on July 18, 2005. Daily flights to Guilin were also initiated.
To keep operating costs low, Spring sells tickets exclusively from its website and offers no complimentary onboard meals, but only bottled water on flights. However, customers can still purchase meals.
In 2004, a proposal by Singapore Airlines to acquire a 40% was rejected.
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