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Spring Airlines

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Spring Airlines
春秋航空股份有限公司
IATA ICAO Call sign
9C CQH AIR SPRING
Founded26 May 2004;
22 years ago (2004-05-26)
Operating bases
Frequent-flyer programSpring Pass
SubsidiariesSpring Japan (30%)
Fleet size134
Destinations103[1]
Parent companySpring Airlines Ltd.
Traded asSSE: 601021
HeadquartersChangning, Shanghai, China
Key peopleZhang Xiuzhi (CEO)
Websitewww.ch.com

Spring Airlines[a] is a low-cost airline headquartered in Changning, Shanghai, China.[2][3]

Spring Airlines is the aviation subsidiary of Shanghai Spring International Travel Service. It reported a net profit of 950 million yuan ($143 million) in 2016.[citation needed]

History

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The airline was given approval to be established on 26 May 2004. Its first aircraft, an Airbus A320 (formerly Lotus Air's), was delivered on 12 July 2005, at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport. Spring Airlines started operations on 18 July 2005 and the first flight on that day was between Shanghai and Yantai. Daily flights to Guilin were also initiated.

To keep operating costs low, Spring sells tickets exclusively from its ch.com website (and some designated ticket offices), bypassing travel agents. Spring no longer offers complimentary on-board meals nor complimentary water; however, passengers may purchase meals and beverages on board. In December 2006, the airline offered a 1-yuan promotional price which caused trouble with government officials.[4]

In late July 2009, Spring's plan to establish overseas routes was granted by the General Administration of Civil Aviation of the People's Republic of China, making it the first budget airline in China to explore the international market. The airline had plans to operate short-distance routes linking mainland Chinese cities to Hong Kong and Macau, as well as neighboring countries such as Japan, South Korea, Cambodia, Singapore, Vietnam and Thailand.

On July 29, 2010, Spring Airlines launched its first international route linking its home city Shanghai and Japan's Ibaraki Airport, about 80 kilometers northeast of Tokyo.[citation needed] 2 months later, on September 28, the airline successfully introduced its first flight from Shanghai to Hong Kong with almost full passengers on board.[citation needed] Spring's daily flights from Shanghai to Macau commenced on 8 April 2011[5] with further international destinations following in the second half of 2011.

Since January 2015, the company has been listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange.

Spring Airlines operated an airline in Japan and is the first Chinese airline to do so.[6]

Corporate affairs and identity

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Branding and livery

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The Spring Airlines logo is designed with the initials "S" of Spring Airlines. It is composed of three overlapping and intersecting S's, which represents interaction, unity, and connection.
Spring Airlines' 3S logo stands for Safety, Smile, and Sincerity.
Spring Airlines' signature move of flying whenever you want is sliding the right palm toward the top of the left shoulder, symbolizing the ideal soaring into the sky.[7]

History of Spring Airlines liveries
A Airbus A320 in the first generation livery at Shanghai Pudong International Airport.
A Airbus A320-214 in the second generation livery at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport.
An Airbus A320-214 in the current 2021 livery at Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport.

Destinations

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An Airbus A320-200 at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport.
Spring Airlines Airbus A320-214 at Kansai Airport.
Passengers boarding a Spring Airlines aircraft via airstair.

As of April 2026, Spring Airlines serves destinations in East Asia and South East Asia.[8]

Codeshare agreements

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Spring Airlines has codeshare agreements with the following airlines:

Fleet

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As of August 2025, Spring Airlines operates an all-Airbus A320 family fleet composed of the following aircraft:[10]

Spring Airlines Airbus A320-214.
Spring Airlines fleet
Aircraft In service Orders Passengers Notes
Airbus A320-200 75 — 174
180
186
Airbus A320neo 47 33 186 [11]
Airbus A321neo 12 10 240 [11]
Total 134 43

On 29 December 2025, Spring Airlines agreed to buy 30 A320neo aircraft, the jets are expected to arrive in 2028 and 2032.[12][11]

Accidents and incidents

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  • On 6 June 2014, at Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport, an Airbus A320 operated by Spring Airlines experienced a runway excursion on the right side of the runway and struck a runway light. The pilot then attempted to go around, causing a tail strike. There were no injuries, but the aircraft sustained substantial damage. An investigation was conducted by China's Accident Investigation Board.[13]

Notes

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  1. ^ Chinese: 春秋航空股份有限公司; pinyin: Chūnqiū Hángkōng Gǔfèn Yǒuxiàn Gōngsī; lit. 'Spring-Autumn Airline Limited Share/Stock Company'

References

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  1. ^ "Spring Airlines on ch-aviation.com". ch-aviation.com. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  2. ^ "Spring Airlines Business Office & Airport Ticket Office Archived 2011-05-28 at the Wayback Machine." Spring Airlines. Retrieved on February 13, 2011. "Spring Airlines Head Office: [...] Mailing Address: Spring Airlines Customer Service Center. 4th Floor, Building No.3, Homeyo Hotel, No.2550 Hongqiao Road, Shanghai 200335 ." Address in Chinese: "邮寄地址：上海市虹桥路2550号航友宾馆3号楼4楼春秋航空股份公司客户服务中心"
  3. ^ Home Archived 2011-02-07 at the Wayback Machine. Homeyo Hotel. Retrieved on February 13, 2011. "上海市迎宾一路425号"
  4. ^ "China's Spring Airlines", Aviation Week & Space Technology, January 1, 2007.
  5. ^ http://www.businessnewsmacau.com/2011/04/spring-airlines-launched-shanghai-%E2%80%93-macau-service-from-8-april-2011/ Archived 2012-03-23 at the Wayback Machine 12 April 2011
  6. ^ Wang, Ying (30 August 2011). "Spring Airlines looks to Japan for expansion". China Daily. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  7. ^ "Spring Airlines and Spring International Travel Introduction, Company Introduction".
  8. ^ "Spring Airlines Flights and Destinations". www.flightconnections.com. 2026-04-02. Retrieved 2026-04-21.
  9. ^ "Eastar Jet signs code-sharing deal with Chinese LCC". Yonhap News Agency. 24 July 2019.
  10. ^ "Orders and Deliveries | Airbus". www.airbus.com. 2026-04-09. Retrieved 2026-05-06.
  11. ^ a b c "Airbus January 2026 orders & deliveries". Retrieved 5 May 2026.
  12. ^ Reuters (29 December 2025). "Two Chinese airlines plan Airbus jet purchases worth up to $8.2 billion". Reuters. Retrieved 30 December 2025. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  13. ^ "Accident: Spring A320 at Xiamen on Jun 6th 2014, runway excursion and tail strike on go around".
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