Air China, the official airline partner of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, has set up a 24-hour command center to ensure smooth air traffic during the Games.

Cai Jianjiang, Air China’s president, said the company had invested RMB568 million (about $81 million) to improve its ground control system and train employees.

The company had recruited 300 new stewards and selected 562 volunteers from current staff to work for the Games.

The new center would facilitate the coordination between the airline and the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), and other key units at the Beijing Capital International Airport.
Source: China View

The first A320 Full Flight Simulator (FFS) in the Southwest China area has passed acceptance inspection of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

The CAAC evaluated the performance of the A320 FFS at the Flight Training Center of the Training Department of Air China Southwest Branch. The full-flight simulator, with a value amounting to more than RMB150 million, was formally put into operation after the approval of the CAAC.

Air China Southwest Branch currently owns and operates one A320 FFS, one A320 Flight Training Device, and one B737-300 FFS.

The branch airline has established an advanced and all-weather flight training base with an investment of RMB270 million.

The addition of the A320 FSS advances the airline’s level of flight training for the west plateau air route into a new stage. The great advantage of a simulator is that it can be worked pretty much around the clock. China has a great need for pilots. One way of helping ease that need is to get a lot more simulators into action so that pilots can train up rapidly. Especially in the new co-operative cockpit drills.
Source: China Civil Aviation

Air China Ltd.’s net profit more than doubled in the first quarter from a year ago as the continued expansion of the Chinese economy lifted demand for air travel.

Net profit at China’s biggest international carrier rose 147% to RMB1.04 billion ($148.57 million) in January-March, the company told the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

Sales grew 22% to RMB12.76 billion.

China’s gross domestic product rose 10.6% in the first three months, lifted by spending and investment. The government is priming the economy through the construction of roads, bridges, airports and other facilities needed for hosting this year’s Olympics.

The airline said the RMB’s 4% gain against the dollar during the quarter also lifted earnings.

Air China earlier said it carried 8.31 million passengers during the period, up 5.7% from a year ago.

The downside is that nearly half its costs go on fuel and there is no doubt this year we are going to see rises which will seriously affect profits.
Source: Trading Markets

Air China, China’s largest international carrier, plans to start scheduled flights to Taiwan as soon as services are allowed.

Board Secretary Huang Bin said, ‘We are fully prepared to operate regular direct flights.’

He declined to confirm or deny a report by the Commercial Times that the Beijing-based carrier plans to apply to open an office in Taiwan after the island’s new government is installed on May 20.
Taiwan President-Elect Ma Ying-jeou has pledged to end a five-decade ban on regular direct flights to China’s mainland as soon as he takes office. WHich will make life a lot easier for traveler’s who until now have had to travel by way of Hong Kong.

Airlines including Air China already fly occasional charter services across the Straits under a government policy allowing direct flights around Chinese holidays but, so far, there has been no regular service.

Our illustration shows Air China stewardesses preparing to present Beijing 2008 Olympics mascots to Taiwan passengers as souvenirs at Capital International Airport in Beijing, January 25, 2006. Air China’s first Spring Festival charter (as oopposed to regular) flight CA197 flew from Beijing to Taipei in southeast China’s Taiwan on January 25.
Source: The China Post

Air China Ltd said it carried 2.85 million passengers in March, down 0.9% year-on-year.

The airline said the overall passenger load factor was 77.7% in March, down 0.1 percentage point year-on-year.

For the first three months, it carried 8.31 million passengers, up 5.7% year-on-year, while the overall passenger load factor for the period was 77.1%, up 2.4 percentage points.

Air China carried 82,000 tons of cargo in March, down 1.4% from a year earlier, and a total of 220,000 tons for the first three months, a rise of 1.3%.

Cargo load factor for March was 60.5%, up 5.6 percentage points, while the load factor for the first three months was 56.3%, up 5.3 percentage points.

In truth, these are not inspiring figures.
Source: Trading Markets