Spring Airlines (9C, Shanghai Hongqiao) is studying the possibility of entering the low-cost, long-haul market segment using a fleet of A330s. Airline spokesman, Zhang Wu'an, told China's WCARN aviation news site that Spring has already crafted plans to offer budget flights to Europe and the United States but has not yet decided on whether or not to lease or own the widebody aircraft.
Spring Airlines operates a fleet of forty-three A320s in service on flights to fifty-six destinations located in China, Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Cambodia, and Singapore. It recently launched China's first foreign commercial airline venture, Spring Airlines Japan (Tokyo Narita).
