Tag Archives: Air China

Air China starts nonstop Beijing-Houston service

Air China (Beijing) began its four weekly nonstop services between Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) in Beijing, China and George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas yesterday (July 11).

The inaugural flight from Beijing, CA 995, arrived at 3:40 (1540) yesterday afternoon to a Texas-sized welcome which included a traditional water cannon salute. Houston Mayor Annise Parker was on hand to greet the delegation from Chinaled by Ms. Yinxiang Wang, Co-Chairwoman of Air China Limited; Chinese Consul General for Texas and seven U.S. southern states and Puerto Rico, Ms. Erwen Xu; and, former Houston Rockets star and now Houston’s Honorary Goodwill Ambassador, Yao Ming.

Copyright Photo: Ribbon Cutting Celebrates Air China’s New Nonstop Service Between Houston, Texas and Beijing, China. (PRNewsFoto/Houston Airport System).

With the launch of the nonstop service, Houston becomes Air China’s fifth gateway in North America, joining Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Vancouver. Air China will operate inside Terminal D at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Houston’s gateway for all foreign carriers.

Houston and Beijing have enjoyed a strong relationship for several decades. China’s paramount leader, the late Deng Xiaoping, visited Houston during his historic trip to the United States in 1979.

Air China will operate the nonstop flights, CA 996, from Houston to Beijing on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, departing at 1:00 AM local time (0100) and arriving in Beijing at 4:50 AM (0450) local time, next day. The chart below shows the schedule of the new service.

Flight Number	Code-Share Flt. No.	Route	Departure	Arrival	Schedule	Aircraft
CA 996	UA7602*	Houston-Beijing	01:00	04:50+1	Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun	B777-300ER
CA 995	UA7601*	Beijing-Houston	15:00	15:40	Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun	B777-300ER

NOTES: All times are local. “+1” stands for next-day arrival.

Top Copyright Photo: Ton Jochems/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 777-39L ER B-2036 (msn 38676) arrives at the Frankfurt terminal.

Air China:

* Codeshare flight.

Air China orders 60 Airbus A320s and 40 A320s for Shenzhen Airlines

Air China (Beijing) has ordered 60 Airbus A320s for its own use and 40 for its subsidiary Shenzhen Airlines (Shenzhen).

The two airlines are buying 40 of the current version of the A320 and 60 of the new A320neo.

Air China’s order includes 27 current A320s (above) and 33 A320neos. Shenzhen will receive 13 current A320s (below) and 27 A320neos.

Deliveries will start in 2014.

Top Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Air China’s A320-214 B-6607 (msn 3461) prepares to land at the Beijing hub (please click on the photo for the full size view).

Air China:

Shenzhen Airlines:

Bottom Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Shenzhen’s Airbus A320-214 B-6377 (msn 3599) arrives at Tokyo (Narita).

Air China expands on the Beijing-Vancouver route

Air China (Beijing) has announced that starting on May 17, it will extend its Beijing-Vancouver schedule by adding another flight CA997/8, which will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays with Airbus A330-200 aircraft. The new addition will bring Air China’s number of weekly Beijing-Vancouver flights to 11.

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing. Airbus A330-243 B-6075 (msn 785) in the special Zijin Hao – Forbidden Pavilion Liner scheme arrives back at the Beijing base.

Air China:

Air China orders 31 additional Boeing aircraft

Air China (Beijing) has ordered 20 additional Boeing 737-800s along with two 747-8s, one 777-300 ER and eight Boeing 777F freighters.

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing. Boeing 737-89L B-5390 (msn 36486) in the Gold Tree Peony special livery arrives at the Beijing hub.

Air China:

Air China to introduce the Boeing 777-300 ER on the Beijing-New York JFK route on March 31, will launch Chengdu-Frankfurt flights on May 19

Air China (Beijing) on March 31, 2013 will upgrade its aircraft to the Boeing 777-300 ER (see above) and increase its frequency from 7 to 11 per week for its nonstop New York (JFK)-Beijing flights.

Air China is the only airline with nonstop service between New York and Beijing. It is also the only airline with first class cabin between these two cities. Current daily flights between New York and Beijing are CA 982 and CA 981.

The additional outbound flight, CA 990, departs from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 2:50 AM, arriving in Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) at 2:20 PM local time the next day. Inbound, CA 989 leaves Beijing at 9:00 AM also on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, arriving in New York at 10:20 AM local time on the same day.

According to the airline, the “Triple Seven” has a wider cabin than any competing aircraft. It is designed for maximum passenger comfort and convenience. Air China’s Forbidden Pavilion (first class) features eight luxury suites, 41 full-flat bed seats in the Capital Pavilion (business class) and 259 economy seats with individual monitors and in-seat audio-video on demand (AVOD).

Designed for maximum passenger comfort, the interior of Air China’s Boeing 777-300 ER feature ten mood lighting variations in the Forbidden and Capital Pavilions, each timed to complement the different phases of a flight—from boarding through meal service, sleeping and pre-arrival. The ambient lighting recreates the sunset, night and sunrise to reflect the various services associated with each phase and create a totally relaxing environment.

Today’s announcement follows last week’s approval granted to Air China by the U.S. Department of Transportation to start four weekly nonstop services between Houston and Beijing on July 11, 2013 using the Boeing 777-300 ER. Houston is Air China’s fifth gateway in North America in addition to New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Vancouver. The Los Angeles-Beijing service, operated with the Boeing 777-300ER, will resume its double daily flights on March 31, 2013. Vancouver-Beijing is scheduled to increase from 7 to 11 flights per week on May 17, 2013. A bigger Boeing 747-400 full passenger aircraft will be used for the San Francisco-Beijing daily operation beginning on March 31, 2013.

In other news, Air China will commence nonstop Chengdu-Frankfurt service on May 19, 2013.

Chengdu, the capital of a province widely known as China’s breadbasket, is a southwestern Chinese city with huge growth potential. Recent years have seen a continuous uptick in the number of outbound travelers from Chengdu and other southwestern neighboring cities like Lhasa, Kunming and Xi’an who leave China via Chengdu. Currently, passengers who travel between Chengdu and other southwestern regions and Germany have to transfer in Beijing, Shanghai or Hong Kong, and the whole journey takes at least 15 hours. The opening of the new Chengdu-Frankfurt nonstop service will make Chengdu the third Mainland China city with direct air links to Frankfurt. The whole flight takes just 10 hours, which represents a significant cut in travel time. This faster service will be another driver of the fast growth in tourism and economy of southwestern China.

The three-times weekly service, CA431/432, will be operated with an Airbus A330-200 (see below) on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday. The flight time is approximately 10 hours. The flight leaves Chengdu at 01:30 and arrives in Frankfurt at 06:10 on the same day. The return flight is expected to take off from Frankfurt at 14:00 and arrive at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport at 05:40 the next day.

Top Copyright Photo: Yuji Wang. Boeing 777-39L ER B-2035 (msn 38674) in the “Smiling China” special livery climbs away from Shanghai (Hongqiao).

Air China:

Bottom Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing. Airbus A330-243 B-6117 (msn 903) completes its approach back at the Beijing hub.

Air China to add Geneva on May 7

Air China (Beijing) has announced it will add Geneva starting on May 7, 2013. The flag carrier will offer nonstop four-times weekly Beijing – Geneva service using the Airbus A330-200. That will make Air China the only carrier offering nonstop rotations between Beijing and Geneva. The Beijing – Geneva route will become East Asia’s first direct route to Geneva, offering an additional flight option to travelers to and from Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Manila.

The flight numbers of the Beijing – Geneva service will be CA 861/862. The four-times weekly flight leaves Beijing at 13:30 and arrives at 18:25 in Geneva on the same day. The return flight is expected to take off from Geneva at 20:25 and arrive at the Beijing Capital International Airport at 12:55 the next day.

The Chinese carrier is also retiring the Boeing 757-200 from international service on March 31, 2013 on the Chengdu-Karachi route per Airline Route.

Top Copyright Photo: Dave Glendinning. Airbus A330-243 B-6076 (msn 797) in the special Zichen Hao livery taxies to the gate at London (Heathrow).

Air China:

Bottom Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing. Air China’s Boeing 757-2Z0 B-2820 (msn 25885) arrives back at the Beijing hub.

Air China introduces “Smiling China”, its 10th new Boeing 777-300 ER

Air China (Beijing) at a ceremony held today (October 30), received a newly delivered Boeing 777-300 ER which has a special livery reflecting is name – “Smiling China”. It is also the 10th of the 19 Boeing 777-300 ERs to be delivered to Air China.

This special livery is a joint creation by Air China and Boeing. According to the airline, the special livery is “to do justice to this year which marks the 40th anniversary of Boeing’s entry into China. Featuring 40 Chinese smiling, confident faces on the fuselage, the livery is meant to get across the message that China is a confident, sincere, friendly and optimistic country, and the airline industry of China has been playing an important role in forging closer ties between China and the rest of the world. The 40 faces are those of 20 recognized staff members of Air China and 20 netizens. Each of them has interesting stories to tell about China’s airline industry – they are pilots who have flown all over the world, ground handling staff who make sure that everything goes without a hitch, technicians who take good care of the aircraft and passengers who have seen the world.”

Currently, Air China is using its Boeing 777-300 ERs on international routes from Beijing to Frankfurt, Los Angeles and Paris as well as on the domestic trunk routes from Beijing to Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Chengdu.

Air China:

Air China firms up its order for five Boeing 747-8 Intercontinentals

Air China (Beijing) has firmed up its order for five passenger Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental wide-body aircraft according to this report by The Seattle Times.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Meanwhile the “Airbus Countries”, United Kingdom, France, Germany and Spain are expected to pursue a suspension of the European Union’s Emission Trading System (ETS) for airlines to avert retaliation from China according to this report by Reuters.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Keith Burton. The new Jumbos will replace the last four Boeing 747-400s and supplement the new Boeing 777-300 ERs. The pictured 747-4J6 B-2469 (msn 28756) is seen on its final approach at London (Heathrow).

Air China:

JetBlue today adds new Florida routes from both New York LaGuardia and Washington Reagan National

JetBlue Airways (New York) today (June 11) launches new service from New York’s LaGuardia International Airport (LGA) and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to points in Florida, increasing flights at both centrally-located airports by eight roundtrips daily to 16 or more roundtrips by this summer.

At LaGuardia, JetBlue now offers daily service to three new Florida destinations including Fort Myers (RSW), Sarasota/Bradenton (SRQ) and Tampa (TPA). Tampa will be served twice-daily while Fort Myers and Sarasota/Bradenton will each be served with one daily flight. In addition, JetBlue is doubling its LaGuardia to Orlando service, adding two more daily flights for a total of four. The carrier is also adding one more flight to Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood for a total of six daily flights and adding a second flight to West Palm Beach.

At Washington’s close-in Ronald Reagan National Airport, JetBlue is adding three more daily roundtrips to Boston for a total of ten per day. JetBlue also added service between Reagan National to Tampa as well as two additional flights to both Fort Lauderdale and Orlando. In addition, the carrier will be serving new ‘capital-to-capital’ service from Reagan National to San Juan, Puerto Rico starting August 23.

The growth is made possible by the airline’s acquisition of slots through an FAA auction.

In other news, JetBlue and Air China announced to day a new agreement.

Air China and JetBlue will initially offer interline connections between their networks at New York/JFK as well as at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Tickets are expected to go on sale later this summer. Subject to government approval, Air China this autumn plans to enter into a codeshare with JetBlue and place its “CA” designator on flights operated by JetBlue.

Air China offers one daily flight from New York and two daily flights from Los Angeles to Beijing Capital International Airport. In addition, separate from the JetBlue interline, the airline flies once-daily from San Francisco and Vancouver to Beijing.

The carrier’s LAX flights are operated aboard the brand new fleet of Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft, which will also be deployed on the JFK route effective October 1, 2012. The “Triple Seven” features eight Forbidden Pavilion First Class luxury suites, 41 Capital Pavilion Business Class flat beds and 259 economy seats with individual monitors and AVOD (audio-video-on-demand) entertainment system.

Top Copyright Photo: Stephen Tornblom.

JetBlue Airways:

ALC leases 13 aircraft to Air China

Air Lease Corporation (ALC) (Los Angeles) has announced it has entered into 12 year long term lease agreements with Air China (Beijing) for 13 new jet aircraft delivering in 2013 and 2014 which consist of nine new Boeing 737-800s and four new Airbus A321-200s.

Air China: