Shanghai plans 2nd business jet base
By Zha Minjie and Yang Jian |
March 27, 2012, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
SHANGHAI plans to build its second business aviation base at Pudong International Airport in about three years to cater for a growing private jet market.
The base, and the current Shanghai Hawker Pacific base at Hongqiao airport, are part of a broader plan to build the city into a major business aviation hub.
"We started late but are catching up fast," Jing Yiming, board president of Shanghai Hawker Pacific and also an official with the Shanghai Airport Authority, said yesterday.
The Hongqiao base began operations in 2010 and acquired a license last year to conduct repair and maintenance work on various kinds of private aircraft.
Jing said: "The potential demand is huge, especially around the Yangtze River delta region."
Shanghai's airports handled 3,500 departures and landings of business aircraft last year, about 33 percent of the Chinese mainland's total, according to the city's airport authority. It is expected the number will grow by about 10 to 15 percent this year and rise to 6,000 over the next two to three years.
Meanwhile, the first Asia Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition starts today and will run until Thursday at Hongqiao airport. About 30 planes, each costing more than 200 million yuan (US$32 million) will be on display with more than 150 exhibitors and an estimated 5,000 to 6,000 visitors expected, including leading manufacturers, financiers, businesspeople and high-ranking government officials.
"We'd like to sell as many planes as possible at the exhibition," said a representative of Airbus Corporate Jets.
There were 137 private jets registered in the Chinese mainland last year, compared to 32 in 2008, according to state aviation authorities. The number of business jets on the mainland is expected to increase to 1,000 within 10 years, insiders said, while some estimate 2,360 by 2030.
Shanghai airport authorities are calling for tax breaks on buying and registering business planes. "Many domestic owners register their planes overseas instead," said Jing.
Inadequate airspace and high tariffs have also become major factors in holding back development of the business jet market, said Allen Fang, vice president of Deer Jet Co, a subsidiary of Hainan Airlines.
The bosses of 18 major business jet manufacturers and operators from both home and abroad want more air space and reduced tariffs.
The companies, including Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier and China Eastern Airlines, yesterday established a Business Jet Shanghai Alliance to promote the market.
Fang said the country's tariff for business jets was nearly double that of civil aviation planes - 23 percent for an imported business jet compared to 12 percent for civil passenger planes.
"We also call for infrastructure construction and more professional business jet expertise that are far lagging behind the market increase," said Kong Linshan, president of Minsheng Financial Leasing Co Ltd, a business jet buyer. There are far too few airports for business jets, he said.
The base, and the current Shanghai Hawker Pacific base at Hongqiao airport, are part of a broader plan to build the city into a major business aviation hub.
"We started late but are catching up fast," Jing Yiming, board president of Shanghai Hawker Pacific and also an official with the Shanghai Airport Authority, said yesterday.
The Hongqiao base began operations in 2010 and acquired a license last year to conduct repair and maintenance work on various kinds of private aircraft.
Jing said: "The potential demand is huge, especially around the Yangtze River delta region."
Shanghai's airports handled 3,500 departures and landings of business aircraft last year, about 33 percent of the Chinese mainland's total, according to the city's airport authority. It is expected the number will grow by about 10 to 15 percent this year and rise to 6,000 over the next two to three years.
Meanwhile, the first Asia Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition starts today and will run until Thursday at Hongqiao airport. About 30 planes, each costing more than 200 million yuan (US$32 million) will be on display with more than 150 exhibitors and an estimated 5,000 to 6,000 visitors expected, including leading manufacturers, financiers, businesspeople and high-ranking government officials.
"We'd like to sell as many planes as possible at the exhibition," said a representative of Airbus Corporate Jets.
There were 137 private jets registered in the Chinese mainland last year, compared to 32 in 2008, according to state aviation authorities. The number of business jets on the mainland is expected to increase to 1,000 within 10 years, insiders said, while some estimate 2,360 by 2030.
Shanghai airport authorities are calling for tax breaks on buying and registering business planes. "Many domestic owners register their planes overseas instead," said Jing.
Inadequate airspace and high tariffs have also become major factors in holding back development of the business jet market, said Allen Fang, vice president of Deer Jet Co, a subsidiary of Hainan Airlines.
The bosses of 18 major business jet manufacturers and operators from both home and abroad want more air space and reduced tariffs.
The companies, including Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier and China Eastern Airlines, yesterday established a Business Jet Shanghai Alliance to promote the market.
Fang said the country's tariff for business jets was nearly double that of civil aviation planes - 23 percent for an imported business jet compared to 12 percent for civil passenger planes.
"We also call for infrastructure construction and more professional business jet expertise that are far lagging behind the market increase," said Kong Linshan, president of Minsheng Financial Leasing Co Ltd, a business jet buyer. There are far too few airports for business jets, he said.
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