China Capital Airlines: Domestic Demand

Aircraft Photographed:

TOP:
Boeing 747-400 | B-2256
Pratt & Whitney PW4056-94
Delivered to China Capital Airlines, 1992
Painted in “ChinaExpress” Decal, 2008
Stored at PEK, 2020
Returned to Service, 2022
Status: Active

BOTTOM:
Boeing 747-8i | B-2305
General Electric GEnx-2B67B
Delivered to China Capital Airlines, 2013
Stored at PEK, 2020
Returned to Service, 2021
Painted in UnitedWings Livery, 2023
Status: Active

Domestic Boeing 747 services have been integral to China Capital’s operations since the days of CALA Airlines. These routes, serviced several times per day with CCA’s high-capacity jet airliners of the time, connected the major cities of Beijing and Shanghai seamlessly. The year 2005 marked the official differentiation of these routes from normal CCA flights. In a joint venture with Yangtze Airlines, ChinaExpress was established, creating a formal service between Beijing Capital and Shanghai Hongqiao Airport. Specially configured aircraft can be identified with the “京沪快线 ChinaExpress” decal on the nose, with the remaining Boeing 747-400s sporting the logo alongside a dedicated sub-fleet of 737-900s and A330-300s. The 747-400s are expected to serve domestically until their retirement, with the 747-8 and 777-300ER competing for the successor spot. China Capital Airlines revealed recently that the 744s will be retired in 2026 due to high cycles on their airframes and the replacement of Pratt & Whitney engines in their fleet.

The top jet, B-2256, was delivered to China Capital Airlines brand new in 1992. It served internationally to destinations such as San Francisco, Frankfurt, and Tokyo before being reeled into domestic services in 2008 after the retirement of CCAs MD-11s. In 2020, the jet was stored at Beijing Capital Airport for the duration of the first COVID-19 pandemic waves. In 2022, travel between Beijing and Shanghai revived to stable levels, and the aircraft was brought back into service. It is one of three 747-400s serving ChinaExpress, and is the oldest 747-400 in operation with the airline. It expects to face retirement in mid-2025.
The bottom jet, B-2305, was delivered in 2013. In 2020, for similar reasons above, the enormous airliner was parked at a desolate Beijing Capital Airport immediately after serving the final pre-pandemic PEK-SFO flight. In 2021, the jet was freed from chocks and it resumed longer-range domestic routes to Guangzhou Baiyun Airport. UnitedWings colors were applied to the jet in early 2023.