The only Chinese airline to have the national flag on their aircraft, Air China began flying to Japan over 44 years ago and this has been a prominent international route for the company ever since. According to the regional manager for Japan, Li Feng, Japan has one of the largest markets for round-trip flights and is, and will continue to be, a crucial part of Air China’s ability to break into the international market. “Air China has maintained a long, stable partnership with Japan, and has contributed to the strong relationship between China and Japan,” he explains. “Of course, the success of the airline’s Japanese branch isn’t limited to the Japan–China flight route. Being situated in the Far East, it is often geographically difficult for Japanese airlines to reach regions such as Western Europe, Africa and South America. Our company offers Japanese users a cheap and easy route to these areas via transits at Beijing or Shanghai Pudong International Airport.”
Japan’s amazing service has long been an inspiration for Air China and it takes extra care to provide high-quality Japanese meals and service staff for those departing from Japan. Feng believes the importance of the Chinese-Japanese airline market cannot be ignored. “In 2014, the records show that an equal number of Chinese and Japanese passengers travelled between the two nations. With the weakening of the Japanese yen beyond 2015, however, there are now more Chinese passengers onboard Air China instead.”
The airline currently has a fleet of 379 aircraft with an average age of 5.9 years and is working endlessly to improve and strengthen services. Being the only airline that flies directly to six continents, the company has gained invaluable and diverse international experience, garnering international acclaim along the way.“Through hard work and perseverance we won the trust of travellers worldwide,” says Feng. “And it’s only through competence and hard work that one can gain such large-scaled trust.” In 2007, Air China cleared various international regulations and gained membership into the coveted Star Alliance group. In 2017 it started a joint venture with Lufthansa — a testament to the airline’s international success.
Air China has retail offices in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Sendai, Hiroshima, Sapporo and Okinawa, and offers direct flights from airports within those cities. Customers booking online via Air China’s official website in Japan throughout 2018 can receive a six percent discount on tickets.
