Shanghai Airlines is considering an order for Airbus A330 medium-range aircraft as it speeds up the expansion of its international network.

Zhou Chi, chairman of Shanghai Airlines said the company is looking to buy 10 single-aisle A320 aircraft. He said the company is also considering buying A330 aircraft, but has yet to decide the size of the order, adding that the wide-body planes could be used to reinforce its flights to neighbouring markets.

Shanghai Airlines, which had earlier placed an order for nine of Boeing’s 787 or Dreamliner, is also scheduled to launch daily flights to the United States and the German city of Hamburg next year.

But the plan may be postponed because of the delayed delivery of the Boeing aircraft.

President Fan Hongxi said Shanghai Airlines has now joined Star Alliance, the world’s largest airline grouping. It plans to expand its international network on its own or via code-sharing with other members of the alliance.

He said international flights now make up less than 10% of the airline’s sales and the airline hopes to raise that ratio to roughly 30% in five years, adding that Star Alliance membership would be a big help.

Sales of the Shanghai-based carrier, which operates a fleet of 59 aircraft, rose 23% to US$1.2 billion from January to September.
Source: China Daily and Cargo News Asia

Air China, the nation’s largest airlines company, expects the new schedule that the Beijing Capital International Airport will adopt in 2008 will help the air carrier gain an even bigger market share in the airport.

Zhang Lan, vice president of Air China, said that from next April, the Capital Airport will add 200 flights everyday to its schedule and will put aside 60% of them for Air China.

Moreover, Air China will join hands with the Star Alliance to integrate resources to enhance the utilization of the T3 terminal of the Capital Airport, which will start operation before the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Ms. Zhang forecasts that the natural growth of China’s air transport market will reach 17.91% in 2008, while the coming Olympics will bring additional increase of 5% to 6%. Now, Air China is busy in clinching key customers for the game.

When joining Star Alliance on December 12, 2007, Air China expects to get vigorous support from the global largest airlines union, which covers 853 cities in 157 countries — about 26% of the world’s airlines market.

However, Air China still has problems with inflight crew and punctuality with complaints reaching an unacceptable level. This is something Ms. Zhang says is being attended to.
Source: Trading Markets

Li Jixiang, the chairman of Air China Chairman, said there is a need for the Chinese aviation industry to create ’super-carriers’ able to compete on a global level, and that his airline was up to the challenge.

The comment also leaves room for the flag carrier to further pursue a merger with China Eastern, a move earlier denied them, but one that Air China still hasn’t ruled out for further consideration.

In a sense it has already expanded through consolidation. On 28 October, 2002, Air China consolidated with China National Aviation Corporation and China Southwest Airlines. During 2004 as part of a consolidation of the Chinese aviation industry Air China absorbed Zhejiang Airlines (a subsidiary of CNAC).

Li Jixiang said, ‘Air China is still too small. To realize this super-carrier, Air China can do it; other airlines can also do it. Other airlines can also buy Air China — we welcome anyone to buy Air China shares. As long as China produces a super-carrier, I’ll be happy.’

Chairman Li brought up one option for growing as being small acquisitions as it has before in the bid to create the super-carrier. It will take a lot of acquisitions for it to be able to compare with, say, United Airlines with a 460-strong fleet compared to Air China’s 68.

Not helping as the delays by Boeing in the delivery of the 787 Dreamliner. The six month delays on initial deliveries could hinder the carrier’s planes for aggressive route developments to serve the Beijing Olympics.

e-ticketing is simple and is, in many parts of the world, the preferred way of getting an airline ticket. On multiple sector journeys the old printed ticket may still be preferable, just. But there will probably be no printed airline tickets in, say, five years from now.

A straw in the wind is that Air China now has interline e-ticketing with Continental Airlines. So both Continental and Air China passengers can use a printed number — a single paperless, electronic ticket — for air journeys served jointly by the two carriers. This is not a breakthrough but more a continuation of a major development. For Continental joins a list of more than twenty other airlines Air China already cooperates with to offer interline e-ticketing service.

Air China is also working on implementing interline e-ticketing with the twenty airlines of Star Alliance before Air China becomes a full member of the alliance later this year. In fact, it only has four airlines to add before it has all of the Star Alliance.

All of which is very important if you are an international passenger. You can create your own itenerary on the Internet, print out the numbers — or just write them down. Then, at the airport, you show identification, give the number and, in exhange, you get a boarding pass. Inded, at some airports that also is automated and you just type your number into a machine and it prints out a boarding pass. At Schipol, in Amsterdam, the next logical step has been taken and you can also check in your own baggage. This all saves the airlines an immense amount of money and makes life easier for the passenger.

Mrs. Zhang Lan, Vice President for Air China, said, ‘Interline e-ticketing is a great convenience to our international passengers, and we are pleased to offer this useful service. Many passengers across our global network need to change airlines to reach their final destination, and the ease of a single interline e-ticket makes flying Air China that much more appealing and care-free.’

Checking through the Air China list you need to look for airlines with which it does NOT as yet have this arrangement. It is quicker. EasyJet would be one and RyanAir would be another. But there are not many. Air China is keeping well up with the times.
Source: eBlackboard

OK, it snuck in at 461 but it is still made it in the new rankings compiled by World Brand — led by Nobel Laureate for economics Robert Mundell — which makes this annual list of what it calls the Most Influential Brands. This was a first time for Air China and a significant indication of Air China’s moves in the world of aviation. The results work from three critical index: market share, brand loyalty and global leadership.

Li Jiaxing, Chairman of Air China, said, ‘Air China is proud to receive this recognition. We hope the ranking reflects passengers’ enthusiasm for our service, for our global network to and from China, and for the stability of the airline, which has earned a consistent profit over the past six years.’

Air China has been designated as the sole air carrier partner of 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Air China will be responsible for air transport for Beijing Olympic Games and Handicapped Games. And at the end of 2007 Air China will join the world biggest airline alliance — Star Alliance.

If you are curious what comes top of the list it is Coca-Cola, Microsoft second and Google third. What is fascinating is that Haier — yes it is a Chinese company — came in 83rd. (If you did not know The Haier Group was founded in 1984 with headquarters in Qingdao, Shandong Province, PRC. In 1984, Haier produced only a single model of refrigerator, today it is one of the world’s leading white goods home appliance manufacturers. That from its site.)

The country with the most companies in the list was, indeed, China.
Source: Houston Chronicle