Air China, the national flag carrier of China and a member of Star Alliance Group, proudly announces the completion of a highly successful maiden year of operations from Mumbai, India. The first ex-Mumbai Air China flight was operated on 3rd May 2012 and marked the launch of Mumbai operations. Besides Mumbai, Air China flies from Bengaluru and New Delhi with a total of 11 weekly flights serving from India. These connect to over 185 destinations across the globe including all domestic destinations of China and major airports of Japan, Australia, USA, Canada and Europe.

With the launch of its Mumbai operations, Air China was the No. 4 airline, operating on ex-Mumbai to China route. Today, Air China has grown to No. 2 in the same category, which is a testimony of its growth and progress in India. In an earnest quest to achieve the #1 position, the airline strives to adapt to customer demands.

In 2012-13, the average load factor was 85% and the frequency of flights was increased from 3 to 4 flights a week on ex-Mumbai to accommodate the passenger load. Currently, it has been observed that 65 per cent of travel to China is business, while 35 per cent leisure and VFR (visiting friends and relatives).

Commenting on the occasion, Mr Tang Zhongling, GM, Air China Mumbai said. “This has been a successful year for Air China in Mumbai. We are pleased with our performance and overwhelmed with the welcome we received. The passenger load has been growing, encouraging us to increase our flights from India to other cities in China. We are looking forward to our coming years in India, each marking a new achievement and milestone.”

Also, Mr. Subhash Goyal, Chairman, STIC Travel Group (STIC represents Air China in West & South India), commented, “We have been promoting Air China as their representatives for more than two decades and are proud to be a part of their growth in India. Trade and Tourism between India and China has been growing at a rapid pace with trade increasing from US$ 2.92 billion in 2000 to US$ 66.57 billion in 2012. We look forward to developing this route and working towards increasing Air China's footprint to multiple cities across India.”

About Air China:

Air China, founded in 1988, is the largest and most profitable airline of China. With its hubs at Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu, the airline (including its holding companies) owns 461 aircraft, featuring Boeing and Airbus. Air China further plans to increase the fleet to 700 aircrafts by 2015. Currently, they operate 284 passenger routes (72 international, 15 regional and 197 domestic routes), covering 29 countries and regions, and 145 cities (45 international cities, 4 regions, and 96 domestic cities). Being a Star Alliance member, Air China’s service network is further extended to 1,329 destinations in 194 countries in cooperation with other member airlines. The membership also allows Air China guests an access to over 660 Airport lounges around the world. Air China’s frequent flyer program, PhoenixMiles, has the longest history of any frequent flyer program in China with more than 19.97 million members. Air China has been awarded the 4-star rating by SKYTRAX - the international authority for accrediting airline services besides several other awards for service excellence. For more information, visit – www.airchina.com

About STIC Travel Group:

STIC Travel Group is one of the most renowned travel service providers in India and South Asia. Established in 1973 by Mr. Subash Goyal, STIC was inaugurated by the then Minister of Civil Aviation & Tourism (Honorable Dr. Karan Singh). Today STIC has become one of the largest travel groups in India with offices in all major cities. We represent and market some of the world's best travel, aviation, tourism, cruise and hotel brands exclusively in India, including Airlines such as - United Airlines, Air China, Sri Lankan Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, Mihin Lanka, Aero Mexico, Caribbean Airlines, Ukraine International Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Air Madagascar and Royal Brunei; Cruise Lines such as - Holland America Line, Windstar Cruises and Seabourn; and Wyndham Hotel Group. STIC is focused on bringing the best of the world to India's doorstep. The group’s services extend to airline marketing, sales and management; cargo and charters; private air charter tours; cruises; hotels; holidays; student and youth travel services; and airport operations. Having won several awards and accolades, STIC credits its success to its team of highly trained professionals. Know more on the latest travel offers on our Facebook page. You can also follow us on Twitter.

For further information please contact:

Ragini Sabharwal/ Pallavi Narayan

+ 91 9891513633/ 9711864445

ragini@avian-media.com / pallavinaray an@avian-media.com