China’s Spring Airlines Receives Its 50th A320

Spring Airlines, China’s first low-cost airline, has taken delivery of its 50th Airbus A320, at the Airbus Tianjin Delivery Centre.

An all-A320 operator, Spring Airlines has taken its milestone Airbus A320 on lease from ICBC Financial Leasing, a leasing company owned by the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China.

In a human chain, employees of Chinese low-cost carrier Spring Airlines make the number ’50’ in front of the airline’s 50th A320, which the all-A320 operator received on February 11, 2015

The aircraft, the 210th Airbus A320-family aircraft assembled at the Airbus Tianjin Final Assembly Line, is powered by CFM56-5B engines and is configured with a single-class cabin containing 180 economy class seats.

Based in Shanghai, Spring Airlines ‒ which is the aviation subsidiary of Shanghai Spring International Travel Service ‒ has been an Airbus operator since July 2005, when it began operations.

“We are pleased to expand our all Airbus A320 fleet to 50 as we are going to celebrate our 10th anniversary in July this year. From the first to the 50th, our partnership with Airbus has lasted for 10 years. Airbus is our closest partner,” said Wang Zhenghua, chairman of Spring Airlines.

“The low-cost mode that we initiated in China 10 years ago has proved to be successful and it is becoming more and more popular today,” Wang added. “The Airbus A320 plays a key role in the successful development of low-cost operations in China with its high reliability, unrivaled economics and comfort in its class.”

All-A320-family operator Spring Airlines, China’s first low-cost airline, took delivery of its 50th A320 at the Airbus (Tianjin) Delivery Center on February 11, 2015. Spring Airlines took the aircraft on lease from ICBC Financial Leasing, a leasing company owned by the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China

“The sustained development and steady growth of Spring Airlines has impressed the industry deeply,” said Eric Chen, president of Airbus China President. “There is great potential for low-cost airlines in China as the market demand for cost-efficient air traffic is growing.”

Spring Airlines’ motto is “to make flying affordable for everyone”. This sentiment is very similar to the slogan painted prominently on the aircraft operated by AirAsia Group, Asia’s largest low-cost airline group: “Now Everyone Can Fly.”

Coincidentally, AirAsia Group is also an all-Airbus operator, its short- and medium-haul carriers operating fleets of A320-family jets and its long-haul affiliate AirAsia X operating a fleet of Airbus A330-family widebodies.