Grand Air Explained

Airline:	Grand International Airways
Fleet Size:	9
Iata:	8L
Icao:	GDI
Founded:	^[1]
Headquarters:	Manila, Philippines
Hubs:	Ninoy Aquino International Airport

Grand International Airways (or Grand Air) was a short-lived airline in the Philippines which operated during the mid-to-late 1990s.

History

The airline was established when the Philippine Government started to deregulate its domestic aviation industry after decades of monopoly by Philippine Airlines, then wholly owned by the government.

Grand Air was owned by the Panlilio family, which also owned Grand Boulevard Hotel in Roxas Boulevard, Philippine Village Hotel (Airport Hotel) and Puerto Azul - a resort hotel in Cavite.

Towards the mid 1990s, Grand Air used to fly to Hong Kong Kai Tak using their Airbus A300s.

The airline was forced to fold operation due to mounting debt problem with its Taiwanese creditors.

Destinations

Grand Air flew (or have planned to fly) to the following destinations:^[2]

• • • Hong Kong – Kai Tak Airport
    • Bandar Seri Begawan – Brunei International Airport
• China
  • Beijing – Beijing Capital International Airport
• Indonesia
  • Jakarta – Soekarno-Hatta International Airport
• Japan
  • Tokyo – Narita International Airport
• Malaysia
  • Kuala Lumpur – Subang International Airport
• Philippines
  • Cagayan de Oro – Lumbia Airport
  • Cebu – Mactan–Cebu International Airport
  • Davao – Francisco Bangoy International Airport
  • General Santos – General Santos International Airport
  • Iloilo – Mandurriao Airport
  • Manila – Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Hub)
  • Puerto Princesa – Puerto Princesa International Airport
  • Tacloban – Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport
• Singapore
  • Changi Airport
    • Seoul – Gimpo International Airport
    • Taipei – Chiang Kai-shek International Airport
• Thailand
  • Bangkok – Don Mueang International Airport
    • Hanoi – Noi Bai International Airport
  • Ho Chi Minh City – Tan Son Nhat International Airport

Fleet

The airline operated a fleet of 5 Airbus A300B4-200^[3] and 4 Boeing 737-600^[4] aircraft.

Code data

• IATA Code: 8L^[5]
• ICAO Code: GDI^[6]

Notes and References

1. http://www.airlinehistory.co.uk/RestofWorld/Philippines/Airlines.asp Airline History
2. https://www.flightglobal.com/breaking-the-monopoly/8234.article
3. http://www.airliners.net/photo/GrandAir/Airbus-A300B4-203/0162390/M/ GrandAir F-OHPN
4. http://www.airliners.net/photo/GrandAir/Boeing-737-647/0511941/M/ GrandAir RP-C8887
5. Web site: ATI Grand Air . 2008-08-21 . 2009-02-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090204131323/http://www.rati.com/ALLANDING_1717.htm . dead .
6. Web site: Grand Air - Details and Fleet History . 2008-08-21 . 2008-09-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080928111348/http://www.planespotters.net/Airline/Grand-Air . dead .