Fledgling Tibet Airlines will purchase three Airbus A319s to help kick start operations in mid-2011. State-owned Tibet Investment is a majority stakeholder in Tibet's first carrier.
Tibet Airlines is to mount flights between capital city Llhasa and other destinations in China. General manager Liu Yanping said the company aims to expand the fleet to 20 aircraft over the next five years. The single-aisle aircraft to be acquired seats 128 passengers in a two-class configuration.
Currently, Air China and China Eastern serve Tibet from Beijing via Chengdu, as does Chengdu-based Sichuan Airlines.
The launch comes at a time when Tibet's tourism seems poised for renewed growth with announced openings by Starwood's St Regis (November of this year), Shangri-La (2012) and InterContinental (date to be confirmed). See news.
Alisha Haridasani