China Eastern has joined the country’s biggest online travel agency Trip.com to create a new airline based on the economic development of Hainan, the nation’s only island province. Government-backed China Easter will own 51 per cent, together with other backers and will be called Sanya International Airlines. The partners are hoping to capitalize on Hainan’s growing significance in China and wants to make it into the nation’s largest free-trade zone. A great deal of works and planning needs to take place, so no timeframe has been given for the launch of the new airline, which will need regulatory approval.