Chengdu Airlines (EU, Chengdu Shuangliu) will become the first Sichuan-based airline to reinvent itself as a Low Cost Carrier China's WCARN news portal has reported. Following months of study and review, the airline's Board of Directors gave the plan the go-ahead earlier this week.

"Chengdu Airlines has considered transforming into a low-cost carrier for a long time," said the airline.

With a fleet of three A319-100s and nine A320s, the China Southern Airlines (CZ, Guangzhou) subsidiary serves 32 destinations throughout China.

Chengdu's decision to venture into the LCC market follows hot on the heels of other full-service carriers that have bet their futures on the budget market.

Thus far, the following airlines have announced plans to transform into budget carriers: Hainan Airlines (HU, Haikou) subsidiaries Capital Airlines (China) (JD, Beijing Daxing International) and West Air (China) (PN, Chongqing); China Eastern Airlines (MU, Shanghai Hongqiao) subsidiary China United Airlines (KN, Beijing Daxing International); and China Express Airlines (G5, Chongqing).