An Interview with Zhang Bingbing, General Manager of Marketing & Sales Center Northern China, Air China

--Creating New Markets Through Innovating Customer-oriented Service

Air China Limited (Air China) is the only national flag carrier of China and a member of Star Alliance, the largest airlines network in the world. It has been ranked among the Fortune Global 500 for 9 years in a row, the only airlines under CAAC that earns the title. Air China is both an institutional member of WTCF and a member of the Committee of Civil Aviation.

Q: Air China offers flights that service international destinations in 6 continents. Air China has been dedicated to expanding its global route network from its hub in Beijing. Recent years has also witnessed Air China’s effort in synchronizing expansion of its intercontinental networks in some key cities. What is Air China’s strategy for 2017?

A: Since March 26th, 2017, the summer and autumn flight schedule has been adapted by Air China. Accordingly, passenger traffic routes have reached 395, including 102 international, 14 regional, and 279 domestic. Air China operates 8,500 flights with 1.66 million seats each week to 39 countries and 180 cities, among which 64 are international, 3 regional, and 113 domestic.

Air China will speed up its international expansion of its route network from its hub in Beijing. Air China will operate 3 weekly flights with the Airbus A330-200 from Shanghai to Barcelona starting on May 5th, 3 weekly flights with the Airbus A320 from Beijing to Astana starting on June 1st, and 4 weekly flights with the Airbus A330-200 from Beijing to Zurich starting on June 7th. Given the slowdown of international route expansion worldwide, and increase of business traveling volume, Air China’s robust expansion in overseas market exhibits its ambition in competing for quality route resources despite the restricted Freedoms of the Air, and confidence of its sound growth in 2017. This strategic expansion will bring Air China closer to its goal of “being the most competitive large network airlines in the world.”

Q: Air China will launch the Beijing-Astana and Beijing-Zurich non-stop airline routes in June this year. The two cities are located along the “Belt and Road Initiative” route. As we all know, the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation will also be held in Beijing this May. What are the strategic arrangement concerns of Air China on the “Belt and Road Initiative?”

A: The implementation of China’s “Belt and Road Initiative” strategy brings a new opportunity to the constant expansion of Air China’s airline route networks and pours energy to Air China’s internationalized network deployment. In recent years, Air China has been positively fulfilling the “Belt and Road Initiative” strategy. Combining the practical travel demands of passengers, Air China has applied the strategy that it will build up a core hub in Beijing and a regional hub in Chengdu, launch an international portal in Shanghai, and expand Asian, African, and Oceanic airline routes with its focus on European and American markets.

Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, is reputed as one of the cities where modernization and people’s happiness index reach their highest level in Central Asia. Kazakhstan is an important nation along the Silk Road Economic Belt, and the launching of the airline route can facilitate the two nations to further cooperate with each other on energy, transportation, tourism, culture, economy, trade, and other fields.

Zurich is one of the famous tourist destinations in Switzerland. In recent years, the senior leaders of China and Switzerland have frequently visited each other, and the cooperation on economy and trade has expanded constantly. This year is the China-Switzerland Tourism Year. China and Switzerland will cooperate on infrastructure construction, finance, insurance, production capacity cooperation and other fields, and further jointly push on the construction of the “Belt and Road Initiative.”

In addition to the launching of the above two airline routes, since 2015, Air China has also launched many other routes to countries along the “Belt and Road Initiative” route, including the routes from its hub in Beijing to Minsk, Budapest, Warsaw, Kuala Lumpur, Mumbai, Colombo, Islamabad and so on. It has paved lots of airborne Silk Roads for China.

As the only flag-carrier airline in China, Air China not only implements China’s national strategies, carries out its social responsibility, and expands and optimizes its own business, but it will still make efforts to build more convenient airborne bridges for China’s strategies such as the “Belt and Road Initiative.”

Q: The first three quarters of 2016 witnessed a boost in Air China’s sales volume through the mobile app, reaching 2.94 billion, an increase of 200% from that of last year. Users of Air China mobile app has reached 4.20 million, among whom PhoenixMiles members account for 70%. Meanwhile, self-service at check-in or endorsing flights is available to more passengers. By innovating products and services, Air China attracts more loyal customers who are getting to know more about Air China mobile App. Would you please share with us more details of this app?

A: Besides checking flight information and booking tickets, PhoenixMiles members can manage their account with the Air China mobile App through functions such as Skywards miles tracking, bill inquiry, nominee management, and mileage reclaim in an easy and convenient way. Members who fly with Air China on domestic routes have a variety of redemption options including purchasing single-trip or round-trip tickets with miles they have earned, or getting reward tickets for free. Mileage Program Rules are applicable both to mileage redemption and purchase with cash.

In addition, the Air China mobile app has the following highlights: Boarding-gate Upgrade: passengers who have checked in and passed security check have the opportunity to and enjoy priority-boarding; Pre-paid seat: passengers who have bought the tickets of the flight coded and operated by Air China can pay for booking seats through all direct sales channels of Air China, by cash or by mileage; Pre-paid baggage: for eligible routes and flights, passengers who have bought tickets can pre-pay for checked baggage with a 20% discount through Air China mobile app; Birthday gift for PhoenixMiles Members: PhoenixMiles Members are awarded an RMB 100 coupon from the “Wallet” of Air China mobile app in their creation month; Self-Service rescheduling: Air China mobile app supports self-service rescheduling through all sales channels for domestic flights.

Q: What are potentials for cooperation between WTCF and Air China, and members of WTCF and Committee of Civil Aviation? Compared with other organizations to which Air China is affiliated with, what does WTCF mean for Air China?

A: As the only national flag carrier of China, Air China has been dedicated to expanding the global route network from its hub in Beijing, and synchronizing expansion of intercontinental networks in some key cities. And as member of WTCF and Committee of Civil Aviation, Air China has been implementing the vision of “Better City Life through Tourism.” By conducting extensive cooperation with other members under the leadership of WTCF, Air China is confident and ready to develop its tourist brand of “AIRCHINA爱TRAVEL” to facilitate the sustained development of tourism.

By co-organizing tourism promotions, Air China and WTCF can learn and benefit from each other, exemplifying win-win cooperation in tourism industry. Thanks to WTCF’s international vision and Air China’s global network, members of WTCF are able to strengthen their cooperation in resource sharing to achieve mutual benefits.