Okay Airways will file an application to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) today, requesting its permission to resume commercial passenger flights, the Beijing Business Today reported.

Liu Jieyin, founder of Okay Airways, told the newspaper yesterday that the shareholders of Okay Airways have reached a consensus on resumption of commercial passenger flights.

Holding a 63 percent stake in the airline, Junyao Group has been trying to remove Okay Group's original management team led by Liu but has so far failed due to opposition from other shareholders. But Liu said he may quit after Okay Airways resumes flights, because "I am old, and Okay Airways needs a new capable president."

Private airlines in China are facing a tough situation, and the reputation of Okay Airlines has been undermined following its suspension due to security concerns. It will be very hard for it to restore its reputation and regain customer confidence, even it succeeds in getting the go-ahead to resume flights, an analyst noted.

The airline's passenger flights were suspended for a month, from December 15 to January 15, 2009.

For more details, please read the full story in Chinese. (http://www.bbtnews.com.cn/mainland/channel/63162.shtml)

(China.org.cn by Fan Junmei January 15, 2009)