Sichuan Airlines planning to launch flights to Los Angeles soon

Chengdu-based Sichuan Airlines recently revealed its plans to launch flights services to Los Angeles in next few months. This will be also the Chinese carrier’s debut in the U.S. mainland. The airline has already submitted application to the U.S. Department of Transportation to approve the proposed service between Chengdu and Los Angeles.

Sichuan Airlines is currently operating flights services to the U.S. overseas territory of Saipan. Apart from this, the Chinese carrier is also conducting trans-Pacific services to Vancouver, Canada as well.

Media reports said that if Sichuan Airlines is finally granted permission then it would be launching flights to Los Angeles from Chengdu in September 2016. The airline will be serving two destinations with four times flights per week. The departures on Mondays and Thursdays would be operated via Hangzhou, while on Tuesdays and Saturdays the departures would be via Jinan. The airline is planning to serve Chengdu-Los Angeles route with the help of a two-class Airbus A330 aircraft, configured with a total seating capacity of 245 passengers.

Chengdu and California would get third new connection in recent years with the launch of flights by Sichuan Airlines. Earlier, United Airlines launched direct flights to Chengdu from San Francisco, while China Eastern Airlines launched flights on Chengdu-Nanjing-Los Angeles route.

Meanwhile, Sichuan Airlines wants to buy 15 Airbus A320 aircrafts worth $1.37 billion, and has already signed a purchase agreement as well with the aircraft maker. Of these 15 aircrafts, the airline will be purchasing seven Airbus A320s, while the remaining eight would be Airbus A320neos. Presently, Sichuan Airlines is operating a fleet of 107 aircrafts comprising eight Airbus A330s, 28 Airbus A321s, 48 Airbus A320s and 23 Airbus A319s. The airline has also placed orders for five Airbus A320s and 20 Comac C919s. The airline is currently serving Vancouver, Moscow, Dubai, Australia, Singapore and Thailand from Chengdu. The airline would also conduct flights to Prague and Los Angeles after getting approval from aviation regulators of the two airports.