Waterfront Air
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Airline |
| Founded | 2008 |
| Founder | Michael Agopsowicz, Peter de Kantzow |
| Defunct | 2014 (operations in Hong Kong ceased) |
| Headquarters | China |
Area served | People's Republic of China, Hong Kong, Macau |
| Products | Seaplane services |
Waterfront Air () is an airline based in China, established in 2008 with the objective of reviving seaplane operations in Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong. By 2014, the company discontinued its activities in Hong Kong and redirected its efforts toward the Chinese mainland market.
History
The airline was initiated by Michael Agopsowicz and co-founded by Peter de Kantzow, whose father, Sydney de Kantzow, was a co-founder of Cathay Pacific Airways. Despite intentions, Waterfront Air HK halted operations on 23 December 2014 without commencing any flight routes.
Operating under the English name Waterfront Air, the mainland Chinese company HaiXiang Air 海翔公務航空有限公司 conducts seaplane services. It obtained initial Air Operator Certificate (AOC) approval from the CAAC South Central branch on 10 August 2015.
Proposed routes
HaiXiang Air aims to establish connections linking Hong Kong, Macau, and Shenzhen, with flight durations projected at approximately 20 minutes. There are plans to extend services to Guangzhou and additional locations within Shenzhen.
Intended destinations encompass:
Fleet
The airline plans to acquire de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft on a lease basis; however, no formal orders or deliveries have been finalized to date.
Facilities
For its Hong Kong operations, Waterfront Air intended to utilize the former site of Kai Tak Airport, situated near the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal in Victoria Harbour.
Progress
In February 2010, an agreement was reached with Shenzhen Airport Group designating Shenzhen as the airline’s principal base. Earlier, on 6 January 2010, Waterfront Air entered into a memorandum of understanding with Shenzhen Airport Ferry Terminal Services to operate seaplane routes originating from Shenzhen Airport Ferry Pier throughout the Greater Pearl River Delta region.
On 1 April 2013, a collaboration was formed between Waterfront Air and the Shenzhen Dapeng Peninsula government to commence seaplane operations from Nan'Ao.
Following Viking Air’s certification of the Twin Otter aircraft in China in July 2015, HaiXiang Air subsequently received preliminary AOC authorization from the CAAC South Central branch on 10 August 2015.