Airlines agree to cooperate deeper
By Winny Wang |
April 7, 2010, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
CHINA Eastern Airlines and Taiwan-based China Airlines yesterday signed a framework agreement for strategic cooperation to enhance their services across the Taiwan Strait.
The two airlines will cooperate broadly on ground handling agent services, cabin services, air cargo, aircraft maintenance and marketing, Liu Shaoyong, chairman of China Eastern, said at the signing ceremony yesterday.
"The cooperation will help the two sides to enhance brand image and boost international competitiveness to offer better services for passengers across the strait," Liu said.
But the two carriers have yet to talk about a stake exchange, Liu said.
The two carriers have been expanding cooperation since 2003 as they eye booming demand across the strait, especially after the Chinese mainland and Taiwan launched direct air and sea transport links in 2008.
A total of 5.41 million people traveled between the mainland and Taiwan last year, a rise of 16.3 percent from a year earlier. Of the total, 3.12 million tourists traveled by air.
As the carrier that operates the most daily flights across the strait, China Eastern flew 425,000 passengers between the mainland and Taiwan last year, a surge of 524 percent from a year earlier, Liu said.
There are 270 direct flights weekly from 31 cities on the mainland, including Shanghai, Beijing and Hangzhou, to the island. Extra flights may be added to cope with a possible travel rush during the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai from May 1 to October 31, said Xia Xinghua, a senior advisor to China Air Transport Association, last month.
The two airlines will cooperate broadly on ground handling agent services, cabin services, air cargo, aircraft maintenance and marketing, Liu Shaoyong, chairman of China Eastern, said at the signing ceremony yesterday.
"The cooperation will help the two sides to enhance brand image and boost international competitiveness to offer better services for passengers across the strait," Liu said.
But the two carriers have yet to talk about a stake exchange, Liu said.
The two carriers have been expanding cooperation since 2003 as they eye booming demand across the strait, especially after the Chinese mainland and Taiwan launched direct air and sea transport links in 2008.
A total of 5.41 million people traveled between the mainland and Taiwan last year, a rise of 16.3 percent from a year earlier. Of the total, 3.12 million tourists traveled by air.
As the carrier that operates the most daily flights across the strait, China Eastern flew 425,000 passengers between the mainland and Taiwan last year, a surge of 524 percent from a year earlier, Liu said.
There are 270 direct flights weekly from 31 cities on the mainland, including Shanghai, Beijing and Hangzhou, to the island. Extra flights may be added to cope with a possible travel rush during the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai from May 1 to October 31, said Xia Xinghua, a senior advisor to China Air Transport Association, last month.
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