Hainan Air to add 17 aircraft to fleet in 2008
SHANGHAI, March 25 (Reuters) - Hainan Airlines Co (600221.SS), China's fourth-largest air carrier, plans to add 17 new aircraft to its fleet this year, including 12 Boeing Co (BA.N) 737-800 jets, two Airbus (EAD.PA) A330s and three Airbus A340s, the carrier said on Tuesday.
The company also reported a 290 percent increase in net profit for 2007 to 651.39 million yuan ($92.32 million), while sales rose 6 percent to 13.56 billion yuan.
The company had announced last week that it expected a 300 percent rise in 2007 net profit.
Its new aircraft plan for 2008 includes the purchase of 10 B737-800s at a total price of about 3.5 billion yuan, while the remaining seven aircraft will be leased.
China's airlines have been bolstered by booming domestic demand for leisure and business travel, as well as the benefits of a rising yuan CNY=CFXS. ($1=7.055 Yuan) (Reporting by Edmund Klamann; editing by Ken Wills)
