Ying'an Airlines
Ying'an Airlines was a Chinese regional carrier that operated limited passenger and cargo services in southwestern China before its operating authorization was withdrawn.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Ying'an Airlines, formally associated with Yunnan Ying'an Airlines and originally established as Yunnan Ying'an General Aviation Co Ltd, was a small Chinese regional aviation enterprise. Although its corporate origins were in Yunnan, the airline was based at Guiyang Longdongbao International Airport in Guizhou and sought to connect smaller southwestern Chinese cities with provincial and regional centers. Its intended market was regional air transport rather than long-haul or international flying, with planned passenger and cargo services linking destinations in Yunnan, Guizhou and neighboring areas. The company was founded in 2005 as a general aviation operator and received an air operator's certificate from the Civil Aviation Administration of China on 19 January 2005. In its early development it used Harbin Y-12 aircraft and, from 2008, placed orders for Xian MA60 turboprops. The MA60 was suited to the short regional routes and smaller airports that formed the basis of Ying'an's proposed network. The carrier received preliminary regulatory approval for regional passenger and cargo operations on 7 December 2010, followed by a trial charter flight from Pu'er City to Kunming on 17 February 2011. Regular passenger operations did not begin until 23 April 2014. The first reported scheduled service ran from Libo to Chongqing via Guiyang, using an MA60 aircraft. The airline subsequently operated a narrow regional network, including flights within Yunnan and Guizhou. Its fleet remained very small; available reference material identifies a single Xian MA60 as the aircraft used in passenger operations, while the company's earlier development plans also referenced Harbin Y-12 aircraft. Ying'an Airlines attempted to secure a larger commercial future through a cooperation agreement with Joy Air signed on 18 December 2014. The agreement contemplated a substantial increase in registered capital and an eventual fleet of as many as 30 aircraft, with the stated ambition of developing Ying'an into a major regional airline in southeastern China. The plan was not realized. The company had been funded by Guangdong Ying'an Transport Service Co Ltd, which held a 56.5 percent stake, and chief executive Li Guiying, who held 43.5 percent. The reported initial investment was CNY 80.7 million. The airline suspended operations on 1 December 2015. Its temporary operating permit was invalidated by the CAAC on 4 December 2015, and the regulator later cancelled the airline's air operator's certificate because the company was not meeting certificate requirements. Some industry records subsequently described the carrier as attempting to restart, but the available reference material does not establish that commercial operations resumed. Ying'an Airlines is therefore treated as defunct or inactive, with no verified current route network, fleet, website or operating status.
History
Ying'an Airlines developed from Yunnan Ying'an General Aviation Co Ltd, a general aviation company founded in 2005. The company received its air operator's certificate from the Civil Aviation Administration of China on 19 January of that year. Its initial business model was broader than scheduled passenger flying and included general aviation activity. As it moved toward regional airline operations, the company used or planned to use Harbin Y-12 aircraft and ordered Xian MA60 turboprops in 2008. A major regulatory step came on 7 December 2010, when the CAAC granted preliminary approval for the company to operate regional passenger and cargo services. Ying'an tested the proposed business through a charter flight between Pu'er City and Kunming on 17 February 2011. The trial demonstrated the company's intended focus on short regional sectors in southwestern China, where smaller airports and dispersed cities could potentially be linked by turboprop aircraft. Commercial passenger service eventually began on 23 April 2014. The first reported route connected Libo and Chongqing through Guiyang, with the service operated by an Xian MA60. The airline was based at Guiyang Longdongbao International Airport and was associated with service across Yunnan and Guizhou. Its operation remained small, with the available fleet information identifying one MA60 in passenger service. The carrier's regional model depended on a limited number of routes and did not develop into a large scheduled network. In December 2014, Ying'an Airlines signed a cooperation agreement with Joy Air. The proposed arrangement was intended to provide a foundation for expansion: registered capital was to rise substantially and the fleet was envisioned as reaching 30 aircraft. The parties described the longer-term objective as transforming Ying'an Airlines into a significant regional carrier in southeastern China. Corporate ownership at the time was divided between Guangdong Ying'an Transport Service Co Ltd, with 56.5 percent, and chief executive Li Guiying, with 43.5 percent. Reported initial investment totaled CNY 80.7 million. The planned capitalization and fleet expansion did not become an established operating reality. The airline suspended operations on 1 December 2015. The CAAC invalidated its temporary operating permit on 4 December, and subsequently cancelled its air operator's certificate because Ying'an Airlines was not satisfying certificate requirements. Later industry listings reportedly characterized the airline as restarting, but the reference material does not confirm a return to passenger service. The available evidence therefore supports describing Ying'an Airlines as defunct or inactive rather than as a currently operating Chinese airline.
- 2015
Operations suspended and certificate withdrawn
[1]Operations stopped on 1 December, the temporary permit was invalidated on 4 December, and the CAAC later cancelled the air operator's certificate.
- 2014
Passenger operations commence
[1]Scheduled passenger operations began on 23 April with service from Libo to Chongqing via Guiyang.
- 2014
Cooperation agreement with Joy Air
[1]Ying'an Airlines and Joy Air signed an agreement outlining an ambitious capitalization and fleet-expansion plan.
- 2011
Trial charter service
[1]A trial charter flight operated between Pu'er City and Kunming on 17 February.
- 2010
Preliminary approval for regional flights
[1]The CAAC granted preliminary approval for regional passenger and cargo operations.
- 2008
MA60 aircraft orders placed
[1]The company ordered Xian MA60 aircraft while also developing a fleet that included Harbin Y-12 aircraft.
- 2005
Company founded as a general aviation operator
[1]Yunnan Ying'an General Aviation Co Ltd was established, creating the corporate foundation for the later Ying'an Airlines brand.
- 2005
Air operator's certificate received
[1]The CAAC issued the company an air operator's certificate on 19 January 2005.
Products and positioning
A proposed small-scale regional airline focused on connecting less-served airports and cities in southwestern China with turboprop passenger and cargo services.
Passenger air transport · 2014
Regional passenger flights
Ying'an Airlines' principal public offering was short-haul scheduled passenger transportation linking smaller cities and regional centers in southwestern China. Its reported first passenger route connected Libo with Chongqing through Guiyang. The operation relied on turboprop aircraft appropriate for relatively short sectors and airports with lower demand than China's major trunk routes.
Cargo air transport
Regional cargo flights
The company received regulatory approval to pursue regional cargo services alongside passenger operations. Cargo was part of the proposed regional-airline model, intended to use the same small-airport network and turboprop operating profile. The available reference material does not document a sustained standalone cargo network.
Aircraft-based service · 2014
Xian MA60 operations
The Xian MA60 was the key aircraft associated with Ying'an Airlines' passenger service. The type was used for the carrier's initial scheduled route and was suited to the airline's intended short regional sectors. Available fleet information identifies a single MA60 in the operating fleet.
Brand decisions
2015
Regulatory withdrawal of operating authorizationOtherBackground
The carrier suspended operations and was no longer meeting the requirements associated with its operating certificate.
Action taken
The CAAC invalidated Ying'an Airlines' temporary operating permit and cancelled its air operator's certificate.
Aftermath
Commercial operations ceased, and later references to a possible restart do not establish that the airline returned to service.
2014
Proposed expansion through Joy Air cooperationStrategyBackground
Ying'an Airlines was operating on a small scale but sought to become a major regional carrier in southeastern China.
Action taken
The company signed a cooperation agreement with Joy Air that contemplated increasing registered capital to CNY 1 billion and expanding the fleet to 30 aircraft.
Aftermath
The proposed expansion was not realized in the available record. Ying'an later suspended operations and lost its operating authorization.
Proposed registered capital. CNY 80.7 million reported investment → CNY 1 billion proposed registered capital (December 2014 proposal)
Recent events
- 2015
Ying'an Airlines suspends operations[1]
Regulation · Bankruptcy
The airline stopped flying on 1 December 2015. Its temporary operating permit was invalidated several days later.
- 2015
CAAC cancels Ying'an Airlines' air operator's certificate[1]
Regulation
The CAAC cancelled the carrier's certificate after determining that it was not meeting the applicable certificate requirements.
- 2014
Ying'an Airlines begins passenger operations[1]
Product launch
Passenger services began with a Libo–Chongqing route via Guiyang, operated with an Xian MA60 turboprop.
- 2014
Ying'an Airlines signs cooperation agreement with Joy Air[1]
M&A
Ying'an Airlines and Joy Air agreed to cooperate on a proposed expansion involving higher capitalization and a substantially larger fleet.
- 2011
Ying'an Airlines conducts trial charter flight[1]
Other
The airline conducted a trial charter service between Pu'er City and Kunming as it prepared for regional commercial operations.
- 2010
CAAC grants preliminary approval for regional passenger and cargo operations[1]
Regulation
Ying'an Airlines received preliminary approval from China's Civil Aviation Administration to pursue regional passenger and cargo flights.
Sources1 sources
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