Airline planning new flights to North America
By Zhang Ming and Cheng Qide (China Daily)
Updated: 2004-06-14 10:38

China Eastern Airlines will introduce three weekly flights to Vancouver, Canada on Wednesday as part of its strategy to expand in the North America market.

The new air route is the airline's second to North America. The other is bound for Los Angeles.

"The strategy aims to reinforce the carrier's competitive edge in air routes to North America," said Li Jiang, a spokesman for China Eastern Airlines Co Ltd.

The airline has got approval for several North American air routes, but a decision on the timing of more new routes will depend on market growth, he said.

The introduction of the new flights to Vancouver will allow more passengers from Shanghai to conveniently change planes for other Canadian cities.

The manager of the airline's sales department in Shanghai, Shen Jinsong, said the passenger load rate on flights between China and Canada exceeds 90 per cent during peak seasons - April to September, and in December.

"Immigrants, travellers and Chinese students have become the carrier's major passenger sources," Shen said.

The Shanghai-based carrier will have three weekly services between Shanghai and Vancouver, while Air Canada offers a daily service between the two cities.

"The market is promising and passengers will increase as Sino-Canadian co-operation continues," Li said.

According to its summer flight schedule, China Eastern has increased flights by 50 per cent compared to last year.

This year, China Eastern has launched flights to Kuala Lumpur and London. It will soon introduce flights between Shanghai and Moscow.

The three weekly London flights are expected to become daily services by the end of this year as more students and tourists go to Britain, said Wan Mingwu, a senior official with China Eastern Airlines.

Wan said China Eastern plans to discuss code-sharing co-operation with Virgin Atlantic Airways and British Airways. This would allow Chinese passengers to transit to other British cities immediately upon arrival in London.

According to a company source, the carrier will import 15 Airbus and Boeing aircraft this year as it prepares to open new air routes.

At present, China Eastern has 35 international flights and 100 domestic flights taking off at Pudong and Hongqiao airports every day.

Yang Yuanyuan, minister of the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China, said that with a flight network established, China Eastern will be able to contribute to Shanghai's goal of becoming an air hub for the Asia-Pacific rim.

The airline now accounts for 36 per cent of the domestic market in Shanghai. This market share is expected to rise to 40 per cent by the end of this year, and 50 per cent in years to come.

To reach its objective, China Eastern is adjusting its domestic regional markets to make full use of its subsidiaries' aircraft.

"The strategy is to challenge the competition from Japan and the Republic of Korea, which are striving to become air hubs in the region," the source said.

The carrier will introduce 13 more domestic air routes this year. The airline has more than 100 Airbus and Boeing aircraft.

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