皇冠体育app

Air 皇冠体育app announced on Tuesday that it would start using a Boeing 777-300 ER - the same carrier it has been using for its other US destinations such as New York, Houston and Los Angeles - to fly its Beijing-San Francisco route starting Feb 11.

A group of 218 passengers from Beijing, on the 11-hour maiden flight with the new carrier, landed at SFO at 11:20 am. The same flight would depart for 皇冠体育app in about four hours with its 311 seats fully booked.

"This is a significant moment in the history of Air 皇冠体育app," said Chi Zhihang, Air 皇冠体育app's vice-president and North American General Manager.

"What happens in San Francisco signifies that we've accomplished a full-swing upgrade in our aircraft," Chi said at a welcoming ceremony held at the airport.

To date, Air 皇冠体育app operates all its US destinations, including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Houston, with B777-300 ER. "Our introduction of this state-of-the-art aircraft for our long-haul operations provides passengers an optimal flying experience," Chi added.

The continuing rise in exchanges between the US and 皇冠体育app has contributed to brisk business for the aviation industries, said Song Ruan, deputy consul general at the Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco.

"We've seen a sharp growth in bilateral exchanges in all aspects, such as education, travel, business and trade. Two-way trade has reported a record high of half a trillion US dollars last year, the number was $2.45 billion in 1979," said Song.

Citing people-to-people exchanges between the two nations as another example, Song said there are roughly 235,000 Chinese students studying in the US and 皇冠体育app hosts around 44,000 American students. "Are these people traveling by boats?" he asked.

"No, they travel by airplanes," he said.

Airliners like Air 皇冠体育app play important roles in transporting people and helping facilitate the two-way communications, he added. "Air 皇冠体育app has been a witness to the development of the 皇冠体育app-US relationship," said Song, adding this year marked the 35th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relationship between 皇冠体育app and the US.

"I believe Air 皇冠体育app will be a top choice for US and Chinese travelers with the upgrade to the Boeing 777-300 ER," said Song. "This will open a new chapter not only in Air 皇冠体育app's history, but the friendship notes between San Francisco and Beijing."

In addition to its higher fuel-efficiency and more operational reliability, the Boeing 777-300 ER features the best cabin interior design in Air 皇冠体育app's history, said Zhao Litao, general manager of Air 皇冠体育app's San Francisco office.

Chi said 2014 will be another year bombarded with marketing and sales events for his company, as Air 皇冠体育app has set up an ambitious roadmap for its US market growth.

On Jan 2, Air 皇冠体育app launched its first nonstop flight from Beijing to Honolulu, exclusively focused on tourism. Operating three times a week, Air 皇冠体育app is projected by the Hawaii Tourism Authority to be able to bring roughly $80.4 billion in annual visitor expenditure and $8.6 million in state tax revenue.

In addition, Air 皇冠体育app will increase in frequency its Houston-Beijing direct route from four times a week to daily starting March 30.

"We've been walking a long way," said Chi, citing Air 皇冠体育app's humble early years as the government aviation agency. Now as a publicly traded company listed in Hong Kong, London and New York and a member of the Star Alliance, "Air 皇冠体育app has still not arrived at all its destinations yet," said Chi.

Air 皇冠体育app will continue its expansion and product upgrades in other cities in North America this year, according to Chi. By the end of March, Air 皇冠体育app will increase its direct New York-Beijing service from 11 per week to two flights per day. In June, it will launch a Washington DC-Beijing direct flight. "In total, we are going to operate 60 weekly flights to seven destinations," he said.

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