DRAGONAIR hopes to launch two new routes to southern China this year, starting with a direct service to Ningbo in April.
The Hongkong carrier has been negotiating with the Chinese authorities for permission to operate the new route since mid-1990 and now believes it is on the verge of a breakthrough.
It is also confident it will be able to start flying to the famous beer-brewing city Qingdao, where Tsingtao is made, before the end of the year.
Several factors make it particularly difficult for foreign carriers to get rights to fly to most China airports.
Most routes are already heavily used by domestic flights and there is a serious shortage of English-speaking air traffic controllers.
There is also a dire shortage of customs, immigration and quarantine officers. Under the current system, more officers are required at airports serving foreign airlines than those operating solely with China-owned carriers.