Hebei Airlines: A Practical Guide to the Regional Carrier of Shijiazhuang
Hebei Airlines, based in Shijiazhuang, is a Chinese regional airline that, after running into financial difficulties, was taken over in 2014 by XiamenAir, of which it is now a subsidiary. Since 2019 it has operated from Beijing Daxing as well as its historic base at Shijiazhuang Zhengding, and it has the first COMAC C919s on order.
History and positioning
Passing under XiamenAir's control in 2014, after a period of difficulty, gave Hebei Airlines a financial stability that many comparably sized Chinese regional airlines have not had, at the price of operating today as a controlled brand rather than as an independent carrier.
The fleet
The fleet combines Boeing 737-700/800s with smaller Embraer ERJ-190 regional jets, for about 28 aircraft in total, and has orders on the books for the COMAC C919.
Routes and network
From the dual hub of Shijiazhuang Zhengding and, since 2019, Beijing Daxing, the network exceeds 200 routes to more than 80 Chinese cities, with a few international connections to Bangkok and Singapore and services to Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Hebei Airlines is useful if you are passing through Shijiazhuang or Beijing Daxing to a mid-sized Chinese city poorly covered by the big airlines. It is not the right choice if you are looking for international long-haul options: the network outside China is limited to a few points in Southeast Asia. The practical tip is to check whether your specific flight is operated with the 737 or the smaller ERJ-190: legroom and carry-on space change noticeably between the two aircraft.
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