President's plane also for the people
Source: Xinhua |
March 28, 2013, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THE plane used by Chinese President Xi Jinping for his first overseas visit will be carrying ordinary passengers after the tour, a senior official has revealed.
Lu Peixin, former chief of the foreign ministry's protocol department and former ambassador to the Republic of Slovenia, told the Legal Evening News that China had no specifically designed aircraft exclusive to state leaders, such as Air Force One in the United States.
"Unlike the presidential airplane in the United States, whose interior decoration is luxury hotel style, Chinese leaders' special plane refitting work is orientated around cost saving," he said.
Lu called Xi's Boeing 747-400 a "guest performer" as such planes are refitted occasionally according to state leaders' itineraries as well as aviation industry rules.
Since the 1980s, jumbo jets have flown national leaders on state visits, making full use of the jets' size, long flight range and mature technology, said Lu, who has helped arrange state visits for former Chinese leaders including Deng Xiaoping and Jiang Zemin.
To help explain why China uses commercial airplanes, Lu cited Air China figures which show that an idled Boeing 747 can cost US$40,000 a day.
More importantly, idled planes are prone to potential hazards and glitches, he said.
Lu said personnel would be notified one month before departure to make refitting work and security checks on the plane.
"The layout needs to be changed for the convenience of high-level meetings and talks. Service from the crew members should be first class," Lu said.
He said the passenger cabin of such planes is divided into four sections. The front half for the top leaders, the remaining three for their entourage, security personnel and medical staff.
Lu Peixin, former chief of the foreign ministry's protocol department and former ambassador to the Republic of Slovenia, told the Legal Evening News that China had no specifically designed aircraft exclusive to state leaders, such as Air Force One in the United States.
"Unlike the presidential airplane in the United States, whose interior decoration is luxury hotel style, Chinese leaders' special plane refitting work is orientated around cost saving," he said.
Lu called Xi's Boeing 747-400 a "guest performer" as such planes are refitted occasionally according to state leaders' itineraries as well as aviation industry rules.
Since the 1980s, jumbo jets have flown national leaders on state visits, making full use of the jets' size, long flight range and mature technology, said Lu, who has helped arrange state visits for former Chinese leaders including Deng Xiaoping and Jiang Zemin.
To help explain why China uses commercial airplanes, Lu cited Air China figures which show that an idled Boeing 747 can cost US$40,000 a day.
More importantly, idled planes are prone to potential hazards and glitches, he said.
Lu said personnel would be notified one month before departure to make refitting work and security checks on the plane.
"The layout needs to be changed for the convenience of high-level meetings and talks. Service from the crew members should be first class," Lu said.
He said the passenger cabin of such planes is divided into four sections. The front half for the top leaders, the remaining three for their entourage, security personnel and medical staff.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
