BEIJING,
Sept 20 Asia Pulse - China's aviation turnover
will rank second in the world this year, and China
became a leading aviation nation in Asia and the
world, according to Li Yongqi, an official of the
General Administration of Civil Aviation of China,
who made these remarks at the recent China
Regional Aviation Forum. He said since China
began implementing its economic reform policy,
China's aviation transportation has maintained rapid
growth, with an annual growth
rate reaching 18.2%, two times higher than the
world average level.
China's aviation
turnover ranked third in 2004 and is expected to
rank second this year. Li said China's aviation
turnover was 12.25 billion ton-kilometers in 2000,
equalling one-eleventh of that in the US. However,
the ratio rose to one-fifth last year.
Regional aviation to develop
further China will further develop regional
aviation in order to face the challenges caused by
the proliferation of flying rights, said Song
Chaoyi, an official of the State Development and
Reform Commission, at the Regional Aviation Forum.
He said Chinese airline companies should
support main routes by developing more regional
routes, and build a more comprehensive aviation
network in order to sharpen their competitive
edge. Some of China's main hubs have been
saturated, said Song, who added that developing
regional airports would promote sustainable growth
in China's aviation industry. Song said China will
draw up relevant policies to stimulate regional
aviation growth, including fiscal support.
Hainan airlines to buy eight B787
aircraft Hainan Airlines and the Boeing
Company signed a contract for eight B787 aircraft
recently. Altogether, five Chinese airline
companies have bought 50 B787 aircraft.
Introducing B787 aircraft to the current
B737 fleet is a strategic plan for Hainan Airlines
to become a world-famous carrier, said Chen Feng,
president of Hainan Airlines. Hainan Airlines is
China's fourth biggest airline company and also an
important partner for Boeing, said Rob Laird, an
official with Boeing. The newly-designed B787
aircraft can fly 15,700 kilometers and has low
fuel consumption, low maintenance costs and low
noise. Hainan Airlines will receive its first B787
before 2008.
