Jiangxi Airlines, a start-up carrier proposed by Xiamen Airlines (MF), has filed an application for an air operator's certificate (AOC) from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), paving the way for it to launch the maiden flight at the end of this year. The aviation watchdog already completed preliminary review of the start-up's application, according to a statement released on the CAAC's website on Tuesday.

Jiangxi Airlines is a joint venture between Xiamen Airlines and Jiangxi Airlines Investment Co., Ltd. with a registered capital of 2 billion yuan. Xiamen Air holds a 60% stake in the new JV, while the rest 40% stake is owned by the local state-owned company Jiangxi Aviation Investment Co., Ltd.

Based at Nanchang Changbei International Airport (KHN), the start-up carrier is permitted to operate domestic passenger and cargo services, using Boeing 737 aircraft. The new entity will be a limited company with Wang Yuexi, general manager of Xiamen Airlines' Nanchang Branch, as its legal representative.

According to the notice released on the website of CAAC, the airline has been approved by the aviation watchdog to purchase five Boeing 737-800 aircraft from Xiamen Airlines.

The airline company has signed an agency agreement on ground services with Jiangxi Airport Group, and the East Regional Air Traffic Management Bureau has agreed to provide civil aviation communication, meteorology and flight information for the airline. In addition, the bureau assigned 131.9 VHF as its management channel frequency.

The Air Traffic Management Bureau of CAAC assigned "CJX" code and "AIR CRANE" as English radio call sign for the airline, and it will employ "RY" code and "989" code for accounting.

The start-up airline has been approved to introduce 30 pilots, 30 maintenance staff, 16 flight dispatchers, 80 flight attendants (including safety personnel) and 32 welders from Xiamen Airlines for the initial operation. Moreover, the airline has employed 57 maintenance staff, 9 flight attendants and 2 safety personnel.

Besides, Jiangxi Airlines is expected to make its maiden flight at the end of this year and commence revenue services in January 2016, said Wu Xiangyang, general manager of Jiangxi Airlines Investment at a press conference last Friday.

The start-up carrier plans to start operations using five Boeing 737 aircraft on domestic routes from Nanchang to Xi'an, Urumqi, Chongqing, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Xiamen.

The airline said it will add three more planes by next year, and hopes to expand to a fleet of 20 by 2020.

The CAAC has begun soliciting submissions on Jiangxi Airlines and said that the approval would be granted unless it was informed of reasonable grounds to reconsider the plan before Dec. 7, 2015.

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