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| Air China and ANA Start Codeshare Cooperation |
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| Beijing, Februrary 26, 2004--Air China and ANA announced today at a
joint press conference at Renaissance Beijing Hotel in China that they have signed
a codeshare agreement on Sino-Japan routes operated by both airlines, including
cooperation on frequent flyer programmes and airport lounge use. |
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| From March 28 this year Air China and ANA will commence their codeshare cooperation
and jointly operate 102 flights per week between Beijing and Tokyo/Osaka, Shanghai
and Tokyo/Osaka, Hangzhou and Tokyo/Osaka. ANA’s 63 weekly flights from Tokyo
Narita and Osaka Kansai to Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou will carry the Air China
code. Air China’s 39 weekly flights on the same routes will operate under Air
China’s and ANA’s flight numbers. Both airlines will also inaugurate flights
between Hangzhou and Tokyo/Osaka in summer schedule bringing the total of code-share
flights to 105 by April 21. |
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| In addition to the codeshare agreement, members of Air China’s Companion
Frequent Flyer Program and ANA Mileage Club members will be eligible to accrue
mileage on the code-share flights and redeem it on any flight on each other’s
networks. |
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| Since October 1st last year, ANA and Air China have been operating a connection
service via Beijing between Tokyo Narita and the Chinese domestic cities of Chengdu,
Chongqing, Hangzhou, Nanjing, and Changchun. This service is designed to facilitate
onward domestic travel in China for passengers arriving from Japan, and for those
passengers traveling to Japan from the above cities. |
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| Demand for air traffic is forecast to grow in line with a quickly expanding
Chinese economy, and both airlines will be able to play a greater role in that
growth thanks to the their cooperation. |
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| Air China has already signed individual code-share cooperation agreements
with over 60 international or regional airlines, including Lufthansa, United Airlines,
Asiana, Finnair, Austrian, SAS, Turkish and Dragon Air. The scope of the cooperation
with ANA also encompasses the exchange of cabin crew on certain flights, thus
further improving passenger amenity and comfort in-flight. Air China and ANA will
achieve closer ties in a win-win situation for both companies. |
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| Air China’s president Li Jiaxiang said: “Comprehensive restructuring
and consolidation of the civil aviation industry of China in 2003 brought new
opportunities for the development of Air China. After consolidation, Air China
can enjoy more advantages in terms of route structure and resources allocation.
Despite the SARS epidemic, Air China still made profits in 2003, which laid a
solid foundation for our further development. Air China is persisting in the philosophy
of “safety first and customer orientation”. Our services are designed
to give customers peace of mind, increase their level of satisfaction and comfort,
and to make their trips an all-around pleasant and memorable experience. We are
aiming to become the leading airline, which can compete with world class airlines
with superior quality of products and services. The codeshare cooperation with
ANA is an important step taken towards the strategy of exploring bilateral cooperation
and implementing globalization, following the codeshare with Lufthansa, United
Airlines and etc.” |
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| ANA’s President and CEO, Yoji Ohashi, said of the marketing agreement,
“Demand for travel between our two countries is potentially enormous and
we are delighted to work with Air China to mutually strengthen our networks in
this manner. We are convinced that thanks to this new arrangement we can better
meet the needs of the public traveling between Japan and China for both business
and pleasure. Despite one of the worst years in the history of aviation in Asia,
traffic has made a robust return. Air China and ANA now find themselves in a position
to maximize the opportunities afforded by this very dynamic market and to bring
greater choice and new services to our passengers.” |
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| Code-share flights from March 28, 2004 |
| Beijing-Tokyo | Air China 7 flights per week | ANA 14 flights/ week | (21 total) |
| Beijing-Osaka | Air China 11 flights per week | ANA 7 flights/ week | (18 total) |
| Shanghai-Tokyo | Air China 14 flights per week | ANA 21 flights/ week | (35 total) |
| Shanghai-Osaka | Air China 7 flights per week | ANA 14 flights/ week | (21 total) |
| Hangzhou-Tokyo | ANA 4 flights/ week | (ANA only route) | |
| Hangzhou-Osaka | Air China 3 flights per week | ANA 3 flights /week | |
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Code-share flights operated jointly by Air China and ANA cabin crew
One Air China cabin crew member will serve on board ANA operated flights and vice-versa |
| CA925/NH5702 | Beijing-Tokyo | CA926/NH5703 | Tokyo-Beijing |
| NH955/CA6652 | Tokyo-Beijing | NH956/CA6651 | Beijing-Tokyo |
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