The Chinese mainland is considering opening six more airports - at Chengdu, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Shenzhen, Dalian and Guilin - to non-stop charter flights across the Taiwan Strait to cope with rising traffic demand, Xinhua reported, citing a senior civil aviation official. Currently, the mainland operates flights from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Xiamen to Taipei and Kaohsiung in Taiwan. Gao Hongfeng, deputy director of the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC), said … [Read more...] about CHINA: China to expand cross-strait services
air freighter
CHINA: CEA gets nod for cargo subsidy
China Eastern has become the latest carrier to gain approval from the Shenzhen government for its “cash for cargo” subsidy aimed at boosting the attractiveness of Shenzhen Bao’an Airport in the hotly contested region. The Shenzhen government is offering subsidies to cargo airlines worth millions of dollars in a bold bid to attract carriers to Bao’an Airport in the intensely competitive Pearl River Delta. The Shenzhen government said the three-year period offer … [Read more...] about CHINA: CEA gets nod for cargo subsidy
CHINA: Shanghai Airlines to expand fleet
Shanghai Airlines (SA) plans to purchase about 50 aircraft by 2010 in an attempt to expand at home and abroad after joining Star Alliance in December, Xinhua reported, citing company president Fan Hongxi. This year, the airline will grow its fleet from 53 to 60, expanding its annual capacity to 300,000 tonnes of cargo and mail. SA has nine Boeing 787 aircraft on order, which will be delivered starting next year. “We aim to develop new international air routes by using Boeing 787 … [Read more...] about CHINA: Shanghai Airlines to expand fleet
CHINA: SIA to buy stake in China Eastern
Shares in China Eastern Airlines (CEA) and Singapore Airlines (SIA) were suspended at the end of last month amid reports that Singapore would soon buy up to a quarter of the loss-making, Shanghai-based carrier for nearly US$1 billion. Although at press time, no official announcement about the purchase had been made, analysts said that a deal would bolster access to booming eastern China for Singapore Airlines, and beef up China Eastern’s balance sheet to help it compete with rivals … [Read more...] about CHINA: SIA to buy stake in China Eastern
Gateways
Three large composite fuselage sections for the 787 Dreamliner were delivered to the Boeing plant in Everett last month via the Dreamlifter, a specially modified 747-400 used to transport 787 major assemblies. Sections 47 and 48, wrapped in black, are the two aft composite sections of fuselage for the Dreamliner, while the all-composite forward section was wrapped in white. … [Read more...] about Gateways
Overcapacity tempers air cargo
The announcement last month of the establishment of a new air services agreement between the US and China, which will more than double the number of passenger fl ights by 2012 and offer airfreight operators “greatly expanded commercial freedom” constitutes, for the air freight part of the deal, a lot of hot air. “It is absolutely historic,” declared US Transportation Secretary Mary Peters in a conference call after reaching agreement with her counterpart, Chinese … [Read more...] about Overcapacity tempers air cargo