China Airlines – Major Airways in China

Information on China Airline Industry

China is well-known for its wide territory, so taking flight is the fastest and most convenient way for travelers to experience the differences in weather, culture, geography, scenery with less energy but long distance journey.

Until 2009, there are together 30 airlines which have a current Air Operator Certificate issued by CAAC and 12 China’s airlines has international flight routes. And about the flight routes, by the end of 2008, there are 1532 scheduled flight routes in China, connecting 150 domestic cities and 104 international cities. Airlines of China also joined in three largest airline alliances in the world, in which, China Southern in SkyTeam Alliance, Air China and Shanghai Airlines in Star Alliance and Dragonair and Cathy Pacific in Oneworld Alliance.

Up to the end of 2009, the rate of incidents is 0.21 in 10 000 flight hours (international rate is 0.29), which reached the international advanced level. For this, Flight Safety Foundation conferred “Distinguished Achievement Award” to CAAC at the 62nd International Conference on Air Transportation and Aviation Safety at Beijing in the beginning of Nov. 2009.

In 2009, CAAC opens the flight express routes between Beijing and Chengdu, Xian and Shanghai, Wuhan and Guangzhou, Changchun and Guangzhou, operating as “city bus” with dense flights interval of every hour or even half an hour. Passengers could take flight as they get to the airport and avoid time waste at the airport.

CAAC passenger volume in 2009 have increased 38 million with the base of 192 million in the last year, which indicates the air transportation is changed to be public traffic method.