Hainan Airlines to transform West Air into LCC, process already underway: report

Hainan Airlines president Wang Yingming stated the carrier had decided at the beginning of last year to transform its China West Air subsidiary into a LCC, adding part of West Air's operations have already been transformed to a LCC. According to Mr Wang, quoted by Yicai, West Air's aircraft utilisation rate improved to 12 hours in the first three months of 2013. Mr Wang added West Air's fleet will increase to 100 aircraft, adopt a LCC operating strategy, develop its own IT systems and expand its ancillary revenue sources.