A sudden suspension of flights by Hong Kong Oasis Airlines may point to an upper limit on service levels for long-haul non-network carriers. As such airlines proliferate, with service ranging from sardine-style economy to all-business class, the failure of the Hong Kong company after 17 months shows that mixing streamlined non-network operations with full-service cabins, especially business class, is a tough strategy. Oasis had a service standard like that of many regular network airlines—but no network.

Hong Kong Oasis Airlines has suddenly stopped flying, has appointed a liquidator and is looking for a buyer, with ambitious mainland carrier Hainan Airlines an obvious possible investor. The sudden suspension of operations by the long-haul 747-400 operator followed failure of talks with one potential buyer — again, possibly Hainan.

China Eastern Airlines has suspended two regional managers and an undisclosed number of pilots after 21 flights returned to their origin airports last week as part of a contract dispute. While the pilots have obviously been suspended because of their disruptive action in support of a better work contract, it isn’t clear why the two chiefs of China Eastern’s Yunnan provincial branch have also been forced to step aside. China Eastern says there were weaknesses in the management.