The new route broadens the choices for passengers transiting between Asia and North America.
LAS VEGAS – The maiden voyage of Hainan Airlines' new non-stop service took off from Beijing and landed at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas at 11:00 am on December 2, 2016, following a 12-hour journey. The flight, serviced by a Boeing 787 with a Kung Fu Panda motif adorning the plane's cabins, served as the announcement of Hainan Airlines' formal launch of non-stop service between Beijing and Las Vegas. The new service further complements the airline's intercontinental network. Hainan Airlines is the sole Chinese airline providing non-stop service between the two cities.
A brief yet grand welcoming ceremony for the maiden voyage was held by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority at the arrivals hall in McCarran International Airport, after the plane landed at the airport. Chinese Consul General in San Francisco Luo Linquan, Clark County Commissioner Lawrence Weekly, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority president Rossi Ralenkotter; Clark County director of aviation Rosemary Vassiliadis, McCarran International Airport port director Warren Eales, Hainan Airlines vice president of marketing Hou Wei and brand director Xu Fei, government officials of the City of Las Vegas, representatives from local companies and chambers of commerce, Hainan Airlines VIP customers and established media organizations took part in the welcoming ceremony. Mr. Hou and Ms Vassiliadis exchanged gifts having characteristics that represented the essence of their native nation or region, in celebration of the exciting moment when the maiden voyage of the Beijing-Las Vegas non-stop service touched down.
Data from the US government shows that close to 7.3 million Chinese tourists are projected to travel to the US between now and 2021. Since the launch of the Beijing-Seattle service in 2008, Hainan Airlines has continued to expand its flight services to the US. Hainan Airlines' non-stop flight to Las Vegas adds an additional transportation choice for business travelers, international students and tourists traveling between China and the US.
Hainan Airlines now operates ten China- North American routes, connecting Seattle, Toronto, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angles, Calgary, San Jose and Boston to destinations in China. All of its airplanes serving North American routes are Boeing 787s equipped with in-flight WiFi. The airline provides its Business Class passengers with high-quality BOSE noise-cancelling headphones, BVLGARI-branded toiletry bags, Sola-branded stainless steel dinnerware and an airborne cuisine menu designed by Michelin-starred chefs, providing passengers with a comfortable, safe and hospitality-focused flight experience. The Kung Fu Panda design painted on the side of the plane and themed characters adorning the insides of cabins, combined with the fusion of the Oriental style of hospitability with modern creativity, serves as a dynamic approach that gives passengers an opportunity to get acquainted with Chinese culture during the flight.
Hainan Airlines has been committed to globalization for years based on an open and win-win principle. Since the airline's first voyage, Hainan Airlines has safely operated its fleet for 23 years and its flights have logged over 5 million hours. It was named as a SKYTRAX five-star airline for six consecutive years and ranked fifth in Airline Safety Ranking 2016 by JACDEC, a German airline safety data evaluation firm, winning high praise from both its domestic and international passengers. HNA Group ranked 353rd on the Fortune Global 500 list issued in July 2016.
Hainan Airlines Wins Four Awards at 2016 WTA Ceremony
Hainan Airlines received four awards at the award ceremony of 2016 World Travel Awards (WTA): World's Leading Airline – Business Class 2016, World's Leading Airline Inflight Entertainment 2016, World's Leading Cabin Crew 2016 and World's Leading Excellence Inflight Service 2016.
With the aim of meeting the expectations of an ever more diversified flying public, Hainan Airlines has consistently optimized not only the overall concept but also each of the finite details of its services, by paying close attention to passenger feedback and, more recently, by installing the Voice of the Customer (VOC) management system to better communicate with those passengers. With passenger expectations as the key driver, the airline has carried out a series of product upgrades, including launching a new frequent flyer rewards membership program, adding new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners with in-flight wifi to the fleet, providing high-quality offerings such as BOSE noise canceling headphones, and partnering with well-known hotels and restaurants to create airborne menus rivaling those of leading land-based restaurants. Hainan Airlines has also vastly upgraded its ground services, with the completion of a comprehensive renovation of its airport-based VIP rooms, including new openings in Beijing, Xi'an, Hangzhou and Guangzhou. The four WTA awards once again affirmed the efforts and accomplishments made by the airline in terms of services.
Tatiana is the news coordinator for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). Her role includes monitoring the hundreds of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skimming the most important according to our strategy.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.
