Juneyao Airlines (Shanghai Hongqiao) is planning to join Star Alliance's Connecting Partner Model (CPM) programme ahead of its planned expansion internationally.

Airline sources told China's WCARN that accession to the initiative is currently undergoing internal approvals.

Juneyao Airlines currently operates forty-one A320-200s and fourteen A321-200s on scheduled passenger flights throughout China as well as to South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Russia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau

Should it vote in favour of joining the CPM, it will become the second carrier after South Africa's Mango Airlines (MNO, Johannesburg O.R. Tambo) to do so.

India's Air India Express (IX, Delhi International) and Alliance Air (India) (9I, Delhi International) have also considered signing up.

The CPM caters primarily to LCCs and hybrid airlines whose route networks compliment those of Star Alliance. While successful candidates will not become fully-fledged members of the alliance, they will be able to enter into bilateral commercial agreements with select member airlines, which may include additional Frequent Flyer Programme-based privileges.