The province is considered the Hawaii of China. Hainan consists of more than a dozen islands in the South China Sea. The largest bears the name of the province. And Hainan Airlines has been carrying that name around the world since 1993.
But now the HNA Group subsidiary is getting competition on its own doorstep. China Eastern Airlines is founding a new airline together with Hainan Province Transport Investment Holding, Sanya Development Holdings, Juneyao Airlines and the online travel agent Trip, reports state-owned newspaper China Daily. However, it will not operate from Haikou Meilan International Airport in the north of the island like Hainan Airlines.
The new airline will be based at Sanya Phoenix International Airport in the south. The aim of Sanya International Airlines is to promote the economic development of Hainan province. The government in Beijing wants to turn it into a duty-free trade zone.
