New Air China Connection to Milan, Italy

BEIJING (Map) - BEIJING, Feb. 28 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Chinese flag carrier Air China is to launch a new non-stop service from Shanghai to Milan, effective from March 30, 2008. The new service will operate on an Airbus 340 with newly built premium-cabin services, "Forbidden Pavilion" First Class and "Capital Pavilion" Business Class, and will be offered 4 times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. The outbound flight (CA973) will depart Shanghai at 1:30 am, arriving in Milan at 8:05 am local time. The returning flight (CA974) will leave Milan at 12:30 pm, arriving in Shanghai at 6:00 am the following day.

"The new connection will fly more passengers between Shanghai, the most modern city in Eastern China, and Milan, the famous fashion city in Italy. It will also create many growth potentials and open up a channel for traveling and trading," said Mrs. Zhang Lan, Senior Vice President of Air China. "The upgraded premium-cabin service on the Airbus 340 integrated the typical Chinese elements -- "Forbidden City" and "Capital City" -- featuring spacious seats, various on-board entertainments and catering, aiming to bring a superior on-board experience for European passengers."

Currently, Air China is one of the most frequent airlines on Sino-Europe routes, flying up to 14 flights per week from Beijing or Shanghai to Milan or Rome, two of the most famous tourist cities in Italy. Also, Air China's strategic cooperation with some Italian airlines such as Alitalia, Air One enables passengers to enjoy more convenience by flying with partner airlines to other Italian cities.

At the same time, starting from March 31, 2008, Air China is going to increase the frequency on the Beijing-Paris route and provide two flights everyday during peak times. The updated service will better meet the passengers' needs during the summer.

About Air China

Air China, as the flag carrier of China, is the designated Airline Partner of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Via its Beijing hub, Air China takes you to destinations all over the world conveniently.

As of October 2007, Air China owns 213 Boeing and Air Bus aircrafts, operating 230 routes within 28 countries and regions. With its extensive network, Air China serves 71 domestic cities and 43 overseas cities, offering 5,000 flights and 900,000 seats every week. Air China has gone into the code- sharing alliance cooperation with 20 famous airlines globally, which enhances its network and provides more choices for passengers.

Air China is the leading and most profitable airline in Mainland China. The brand asset value of Air China reached RMB 23.5 billion and ranked No. 1 among the domestic airlines on the Top 500 enterprises with highest brand values in Mainland China, as evaluated in 2007 by "World Brand Lab", the international authoritative institution of brand research. Air China was granted the title of "China Top 10 World Brands" jointly conducted by the UK's Financial Times and McKinsey & Company. In addition, Air China gained "Golden Hawk Cup", the highest honor in aviation safety by CAAC. In North America, Air China serves New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Vancouver with daily non-stop services to Beijing.

SOURCE Air China