China's Tibet Airlines, the first airline based in Tibet, signed a contract with Airbus here Thursday to order three A319 aircraft for its fleet due to debut in 2011.

The three planes will be delivered to Tibet Airlines in the third quarter of 2011, according to the agreement.

The airline plans to launch its first flights in August 2011 after the arrival of the first aircraft and cover all airports in Tibet Autonomous Region in two years.

Tibet Airlines also signed a contract with the China Development Bank to finance the purchases.

The Lhasa-based airline plans to expand its fleet to 20 aircraft in the coming five years, said Liu Yanping, general manager of Tibet Airlines.

Founded in March with a registered capital of 280 million yuan (41.2 million U.S. dollars), Tibet Airlines aims to provide domestic cargo and passenger services in the autonomous region.