A trio of Chinese narrow bodies.
C Model (Panda mould) - China Xinjiang Airlines B737-700 B-2699
One of the last planes delivered to Xinjiang Airlines. After Xinjiang and China Northern were absorbed and merged into China Southern, this bird would continue serving the airline until it was retired and picked up by Southwest Airlines from across the Pacific in 2015.
AeroPolaris - Hainan Airlines B737-800 (WL) B-20E6
This bird began its life with Norwegian Air Shuttle in 2014 as LN-NGT. After Norwegian’s financial losses starting in 2017, driven largely in part by aggressive long-haul expansion, it left the fleet during the airline’s restructuring in 2019. It was registered and leased to Joy Air as B-20E6. Its sistership LN-NGR also went to Joy Air as B-20E5. B-20E6 operated there until June 2024, when the airline was too insolvent to keep her flying. Joy Air, which never recorded a profit since its 2008 founding, struggled with a fleet dominated by the inefficient MA-60, unprofitable regional routes, and dependence on provincial subsidies and shifting shareholders (including China Eastern, OK Airways, and AVIC). The airline ceased operations in April 2025.
Showcased earlier, Sistership B-20E5/LN-NGR in Joy Air’s livery. Also produced by AeroPolaris.
B-20E5 was leased to Hainan Airlines in December 2024, and B-20E6 was delivered to Hainan in January 2025. Hainan had just undergone restructuring after the bankruptcy of the original HNA Group. HNA Aviation, which owned HNA’s airline business, was acquired by Fangda Group, a mining, steel manufacturing and pharmaceutical conglomerate with no prior background in aviation. Fangda’s owner, Fang Wei, infamously wanted Hainan, a prestigious Skytrax 5-star carrier known for its service, to take low-cost inspirations from Southwest Airlines. This unsurprisingly shocked many veteran employees. Luckily his dreams did not come to fruition, having been limited and mostly scaled back, though Hainan has been criticised by both employees and frequent fliers for the cost-cutting that were implemented since its purchase by Fangda.
NG Models - West Air A319 B-6413
Compared to the previous two aircraft, the story of this one is much less dramatic. West Air has been utterly successful ever since its transition into a low-cost airline in 2013. It has become the most profitable airline within HNA Aviation in recent years. This aircraft in particular was delivered to West Air brand new in 2010. West Air currently has a fleet count of 50, made up of the entire A320ceo and A320neo family of aircraft.
West Air primarily deploys the A319s from its Chongqing hub into the Tibetan Plateau due to its efficient performance at high-altitude airports. This is why West Air is among the few airlines that operate the A319neo. Interestingly West Air also operates the A319ceo on a 10-hour flight between Lhasa and Singapore, with a stopover in Chongqing.
just don't look at the cockpit. really unfortunate
. Hopefully the one on the other release looks ok...
