Guizhou Airlines Receives First Airbus A320neo
Colorful Guizhou Airlines has taken delivery of a new A320neo (MSN10337). The aircraft marks the first A320neo received from the GECAS order book. GECAS is one of the world’s largest commercial aviation financing and leasing companies. It is a subsidiary of GE Capital, the financial arm of American multinational conglomerate General Electric.
The aircraft delivery from the Airbus assembly facility in Tianjin, China, marks the completion of an order for four Airbus A320neo aircraft placed with GECAS at the 2019 Paris Air Show. GECAS has a strong relationship with the Airbus Tianjin facility. Additionally, it was the first aviation leasing company to take delivery of the first Airbus A320neo assembled at the plant before it was delivered to AirAsia as a part of a purchase-leaseback arrangement.
GECAS works closely with Airbus Tianjin
In a statement released on December 29, 2020, seen by Simple Flying, GECAS EVP & Regional Manager of Greater China Li Liu spoke about the progress. Altogether, both the leasing outfit and the carrier are delighted with the move.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to provide Colorful Guizhou Airlines with yet another A320neo as they grow their fleet and expand their operations. I wish Colorful Guizhou Airlines much success and am grateful for the trusted relationship we’ve formed,” the executive said in the statement.
George Xu, CEO of Airbus China also spoke about the delivery. He is looking forward to continuing working with GECAS in the future.
“We are honored to achieve the milestone together with GECAS, our important and long-term customer, for the delivery of its first A320 Family aircraft assembled in Airbus Tianjin from its own order-book.” Xu added.
“We are grateful for the trust and support from GECAS on our product and look forward to further strengthening our strategic cooperation to provide even more aircraft assembled at Airbus Tianjin to the airlines.”
About Colorful Guizhou Airline
Based at Guiyang Longdongbao International Airport (KWE), Colorful Guizhou Airlines first started operations in December of 2015 with Brazilian-built Embraer 190s to destinations throughout China. As the first locally-owned airline in Guizhou Province, Colorful Guizhou Airlines was formed by the Guizhou Industrial Investment (Group) Co., Ltd. to provide air service to Western China.
The strange-sounding name “Colorful Guizhou Airlines” comes from a provincial government’s marketing campaign to showcase Guizhou Province’s diversity. According to aviation enthusiast website Planespotters.net, Colorful Guizhou Airlines fleet is made up of the following aircraft.
- Four Airbus A320neos with an average age of 0.6 years
- Nine Embraer ERJ-190s with an average age of 4.3 years
About Guizhou Province
Landlocked in the southwest of the People’s Republic of China, Guizhou Province borders the Guangxi to the south, Yunnan to the west, Sichuan to the northwest, Chongqing to the north, and Hunan to the east. Guizhou Province ranks 19th in population amongst Chinas’ province with a population of around 34 million people.
Guizhou Province is known for its traditional rural villages, inhabited by minority groups, which adds “colorful” to the airline’s name. Traditionally one of China’s poorest provinces, Guizhou has remained off the radar for people visiting China despite being rich in all of the things that draw travelers to China: diverse cultures, mythic scroll-painting mountains, and remarkable food.
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