Hong Kong-based management and charter company Business Aviation Asia (BAA) is planning to transfer its base to the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen following the signing last week of a joint venture with national carrier Shenzhen Airlines. The deal will lead to the formation of a dedicated company that will exploit the burgeoning demand for business aircraft management and charter in China and the Asia-Pacific region.
"Shenzhen Airlines is a very important strategic partner for BAA as they have well-established airport infrastructure in China and will provide our new partnership with new airport facilities and aircraft maintenance hubs in Shenzhen and Beijing," says BAA general manager Ricky Leung.
Last month, BAA established a partnership with US management and charter company Priester Aviation for which it co-manages a Gulfstream G200. "Through the venture with Priester we are hoping to encourage US companies that are doing business in China to base their aircraft at our facility in Shenzhen and use our aircraft to fly around the country," says Leung.
He says BAA and Shenzhen Airlines are hoping to break ground later this year on a fixed-base operation (FBO) at Shenzhen airport to raise the standard of service for operators in line with those FBOs in the USA and Europe.
BAA operates three G200s and next year will receive another G200 and a large-cabin G450, which will be placed on the Chinese register.
Source: Flight International