HNA Group Co, parent company of Hainan Airlines, is urging the United States to lift restrictions on visas for Chinese visitors. “The United States government should give more visas to Chinese visitors and more support for direct flights from China to the U.S.,” said Chen Feng, Board Chairman of Hainan-based HNA Group. “Limited visas mean a limited number of potential travelers, and that increases the risk of starting a new direct flight,” he said. Hainan Airlines, China’s fourth-largest airline by fleet size, buys aircraft from Boeing in the U.S. every year. However, Chen said, even the company’s purchasing agents are denied U.S. visas. “It’s ridiculous.” Chinese applicants might have to wait for more than a month for the personal interview they need to obtain their U.S. visa. Some applicants are repeatedly denied a visa without being given a reason. In October 2009, Hainan Airlines obtained approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation to begin regular non-stop flights from Beijing to Honolulu, but the airline never launched the service, Chen said, because of the visa problem.