Yet another Chinese Airline - Xiamen Airlines for SYD-FOC

[moa999]

Xiamen Airlines, member of Skyteam and 51% owned by China Southern has applied to fly Fuzhou-Sydney using 787 from 25-Oct-15

Fuzhou (FOC) is the 25th busiest airport in China (Wikipedia) and just across from the strait from Taiwan (so might provide an alternative to TPE)


Xiamen Air Applies for Fuzhou-Sydney Service by B787 Dreamliners

Courtesy @winglets747 tweet

 

[moa999]

3-class layout as well, and a decent pitch in Y (still 3x3x3)

https://talkairlines.wordpress.com/2014/07/23/talkinterior-xiamen-airlines-new-787-cabin/

www.airlinereporter.com/2014/08/xiamen-airlines-takes-delivery-first-boeing-787-dreamliner/

Suspect it also helps the Qantas - China Eastern JV

 

[MEL_Traveller]

That looks pretty good! Wonder what the fares will be like? Their website doesn't allow international bookings ATM.

Also worth noting transit without visa (TWOV) is not available at FOC - this includes the 24- and 72-hour versions (unless they change this soon). A full visa is therefore required.

 

[Isochronous]

Hopefully we see some competitive pricing on them!

 

[kamchatsky]

I know quite a number of people whose families live at Fujian province. This would probably work well with a lot of Chinese who need to go back to visit families every year. It saves them transiting at say HKG/CAN/PVG.

 

[smit0847]

3-class layout as well, and a decent pitch in Y (still 3x3x3)

https://talkairlines.wordpress.com/2014/07/23/talkinterior-xiamen-airlines-new-787-cabin/

www.airlinereporter.com/2014/08/xiamen-airlines-takes-delivery-first-boeing-787-dreamliner/

Suspect it also helps the Qantas - China Eastern JV

"XiamenAir has the best First Class lounge service and best cabin crew service within*Skyteam according to an intra-alliance survey"

I think AF would argue differently!

 

[Aussie_flyer]

The rumour was Xiamen to Sydney so I'm surprised to see Fuzhou mentioned. Xiamen is where they fly their one long haul route, to Amsterdam. Surely a Sydney-Xiamen-Amsterdam link would be more sensible.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Surely a Sydney-Xiamen-Amsterdam link would be more sensible.

Common sense is a foreign concept yet to find it's way to 'The Giant Ant Farm'!

 

[moa999]

Surely a Sydney-Xiamen-Amsterdam link would be more sensible.

Interesting indeed. Airline seems to hub out of both XMN and FOC, albeit XMN is major base and larger (8th largest in China vs 25th).

Also only separated by about 250km.

 

[Isochronous]

Xiamen/Fuzhou are the centres of the Hokkien-speaking population. Quite a few diaspora in Australia who may well have connections there.