Having gained a permit from Chinese aviation authority as qualified flight carrier, China's private-owned Spring Airlines announced Sunday that it's maiden flight will be launched on Monday.

Approved by the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China and started formation on May 26, 2004, the airlines has received 11-month long full-spectrum qualification assessment, including safety, flight standard, carrier overhaul, flight distribution, computer administration, and cabin service.

Li Weiming, spokesman of the Spring Airlines, said that with a leased Airbus-320 aircraft, the maiden route flies from Shanghai to the domestic destinations such as Yantai, Nanchang, Mianyang and Guilin, and all tickets were sold out.

As one of the four privately funded carriers in China, the Spring Airlines is aiming to build itself into a true budge airline.

There are about 20 budget airlines operational in Asia-Pacific region, but none of them are Chinese.

(Xinhua News Agency July 18, 2005)