The article below was taken from a newspaper in China, translated into English:
Shanghai - Recent reports have indicated that talks between Phoenix Airlines and the Chinese authorities have stalled over disagreements with the private airline's expansion plans.
According to insider sources, Phoenix Airlines have submitted a request for over 30 prime time slots at Beijing Capital International Airport, as well as another 20 slots at Shanghai Pudong International Airport, among other slot requests at domestic airports. These were meant to be for use in launching several flights which could break the current oligopoly held by Air China, China Southern, and China Eastern Airlines for some domestic and international flights. However, the rate of expansion as promised by the airline is at a rate which is alarming to the Chinese authorities, as they have never seen such an aggressive expansion plan in recent years. An official even highlighted that the rate of expansion is larger than China Southern's Daxing plans (referring to the plans highlighting the amount of routes China Southern aims to operate once they move to Beijing Daxing in late 2019). "Things like flying from Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou to Quanzhou, Hunan, Taipei, Qionghai, Fuzhou, Zhuhai, Chengdu, Wuhan are routes which are generally dominant by local state-owned airlines are now being dominated by a private airline? Its really difficult."
Neither Phoenix Airlines nor the CAAC could be reached for comment as of press time.
Expansion Plans rejected by CAAC
Shanghai - Recent reports have indicated that talks between Phoenix Airlines and the Chinese authorities have stalled over disagreements with the private airline's expansion plans.
According to insider sources, Phoenix Airlines have submitted a request for over 30 prime time slots at Beijing Capital International Airport, as well as another 20 slots at Shanghai Pudong International Airport, among other slot requests at domestic airports. These were meant to be for use in launching several flights which could break the current oligopoly held by Air China, China Southern, and China Eastern Airlines for some domestic and international flights. However, the rate of expansion as promised by the airline is at a rate which is alarming to the Chinese authorities, as they have never seen such an aggressive expansion plan in recent years. An official even highlighted that the rate of expansion is larger than China Southern's Daxing plans (referring to the plans highlighting the amount of routes China Southern aims to operate once they move to Beijing Daxing in late 2019). "Things like flying from Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou to Quanzhou, Hunan, Taipei, Qionghai, Fuzhou, Zhuhai, Chengdu, Wuhan are routes which are generally dominant by local state-owned airlines are now being dominated by a private airline? Its really difficult."
Neither Phoenix Airlines nor the CAAC could be reached for comment as of press time.