JC International Airlines, a Chinese-backed carrier, is preparing to launch operations in Cambodia to serve both the domestic and international markets.

The Cambodian-registered airline, managed by China’s Yunnan Jingcheng Group, expects to launch flight services in February 2017 with about 160 to 180 staff, according to Yan Yi Xi, a company representative.

He said JC International Airlines plans to operate a fleet of six aircraft, serving domestic routes as well as cities in Malaysia, Singapore and China. “We’ve applied for almost all the licences necessary, save for a few checks that still need to be conducted,” he said yesterday.

“Things are still in the preliminary stage, but everything’s more or less settled and we’re excited to serve our passengers next year.”

Sinn Serey Vutha, spokesman of the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA), confirmed that the airline had submitted an application for an air operator’s certificate (AOC).

“JC International Airlines still has not received its AOC, it is still being processed,” he said, adding that it was unlikely to be approved before December.

Vutha said the approval would depend on the company’s finances and technical capabilities.

“We have to check the application and see whether the company has the financial health to operate flights,” he said. “And they must also comply with our technical and safety requirements.”

“If they are qualified in [both areas], they will get an AOC from us,” he said.

The subsidiaries of Yunnan Jingcheng Group, a $1-billion conglomerate based in China’s Yunnan province, include a private aviation company and full-service economy carrier Ruili Airlines.