Yili agrees sponsorship deal with Genghis Khan Airlines

Xu Ke, vice-president of Yili (front row, left) and Hao Yutao, chairman of Genghis Khan Airlines (front row, right) pose for photographs at the symposium on the aviation industry in Inner Mongolia, in Beijing, on Oct 15. [Photo/Yili Group]

Chinese dairy giant Yili has secured a deal to be the title sponsor of Genghis Khan Airlines, a newly-established regional carrier in Inner Mongolia, according to a symposium on the region's aviation industry held in Beijing, on Oct 15.

Xu Ke, vice-president of Yili and Hao Yutao, chairman of Genghis Khan Airlines signed the sponsorship agreement during the symposium.

According to the agreement, Yili will sponsor the airline's first ARJ21, a Chinese regional passenger aircraft. 

The ARJ21, developed by the Commercial Aircraft Corp of China Ltd, has been on sale for the past two years and has carried over 150,000 passengers.

According to Genghis Khan Airlines, the aircraft sponsored by Yili will make its maiden flight in 2019.

The sponsorship agreement is expected to help further expand the brand recognition of Yili.

Genghis Khan Airlines, which is based at Hohhot Baita International Airport and is financed by Inner Mongolia Communications Investment (Group) Co Ltd, was approved by the Civil Aviation Administration of China on Feb 13.

It plans to establish a fleet of 25 ARJ21 aircraft within the next five years.