West Air China
China · WEST CHINA · Active
Airline Identity
History
West Air was established in March 2007 by HNA Aviation as a regional carrier based in Chongqing and launched scheduled flights on 14 June 2007. It became one of the founding members of the China-focused U-FLY Alliance of low-cost carriers and opened its first international route, linking Chongqing and Singapore, in February 2016. Amid HNA Group's broader financial collapse and restructuring after 2018, ownership of West Air was progressively transferred away from HNA to Chongqing state-backed investors, with HNA relinquishing control of the carrier.
Current Operations
West Air is now controlled by Chongqing Yufu Assets Management Group rather than remaining an HNA Aviation subsidiary. It operates an all-Airbus A320-family fleet as a low-cost carrier from hubs at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport and Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport, serving domestic Chinese routes plus destinations across East and Southeast Asia. It is not a member of any of the three major global alliances but participates in the U-FLY Alliance grouping of Chinese low-cost carriers, and its loyalty program is shared with sister HNA-linked carriers.
Last verified 2026-09-02· Source: airline public disclosures, company press releases & aviation-industry reporting.