China's start-up carrier Jiangxi Airlines (RY) made a 2.5-hour "verification flight" from Nanchang to Xiamen on Wednesday morning, in a bid to get ready for its first revenue flight on January 18, 2016.

The inaugural flight, operated by a Boeing 737-800 aircraft, took off from Nanchang Changbei International Airport (KHN) at 9:00 a.m. and arrived at Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport at 10:15 a.m., with the return flight departed from Xiamen at 11:15 p.m. and landed in Nanchang at 12:25 p.m.

Jiangxi Airlines took delivery of its first aircraft on December 14 - a brand new Boeing 737-800 airplane painted with a dancing crane and blue and white porcelain on its tail. The aircraft, Registration B-5511, was transferred from parent Xiamen Airlines (MF).

Based at Nanchang Changbei International Airport, the start-up carrier will fly Boeing 737 aircraft to most major cities across the country, initially opening domestic flights between Nanchang and Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Chengdu.

Jiangxi Airlines is expected to commence official operations on January 18, using five Boeing 737 aircraft on domestic routes from Nanchang to Xi'an, Urumqi, Chongqing, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Xiamen.

Besides, the airline said it will add three more planes by next year, and hopes to expand to a fleet of 20 by 2020.

Jiangxi Airlines is a joint venture between Xiamen Airlines and Jiangxi Airlines Investment Co., Ltd. with a registered capital of 2 billion yuan. Xiamen Air holds a 60% stake in the new JV, while the rest 40% stake is owned by the local state-owned company Jiangxi Aviation Investment Co., Ltd.

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