Air China vows to promote regional development at WCIF debut

Air China debuts at the Sixth Western China International Fair for Investment and Trade. Photos: Courtesy of Tao Ran.

Air China, one of the largest airlines in China, on Thursday announced that it will actively engage in promoting regional development and integration at an annual investment and trade event.

The company said that it is gearing up to optimize regional airline networks and enhance product service experience, aiming to contribute to the high-quality development of the economy in Southwest China's Chengdu-Chongqing region.

The Sixth Western China International Fair for Investment and Trade, or Western China International Fair (WCIF), is held in Chongqing Municipality from May 23 to 26 with the focuses on services industries including logistics, distribution and financial services. For global traders, it's a chance to build business networks in China.

Marked progress has been made in the aviation sector in recent years. During the event, Air China displays significant achievements it has made in promoting safe operations, network construction, product services, green development and rural revitalization, through the means of digital multimedia, light and shadow interaction, the company said in a note sent to the Global Times.

In terms of regional network building, the airline currently operates 137 domestic, international and regional routes in the Chengdu-Chongqing region, including 21 international and regional routes.

Air China debuts at the Sixth Western China International Fair for Investment and Trade. Photos: Courtesy of Tao Ran.

At the Air China booth, visitors can deeply understand the development process of the carrier and experience an immersive exhibition by watching a historical flight attendant uniform show, simulating aircraft experience, taking photos with 3D printing devices and other activities.

Air China also showcases characteristic travel products based on the local entire industry chain, and it will offer convenient infrastructure and operations at airports, it added.

In order to provide better and more convenient travel for passengers, Air China said it will continuously upgrade its services in areas such the route network and lounges. During the peak travel season, it will also offer boarding gate and on-site upgrade services for international and regional flights departing from Chengdu, creating a "one-stop" premium travel experience for passengers.

The food display area mainly showcases the meals served on the Chongqing-Dubai international route in both classes and the special meals on the Chongqing-Beijing route.

Air China said that it will continue to offer special meals for both international and domestic customers, with both Western-style cuisines and authentic "Chongqing flavors" available on board.

Over the years, the development of the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle in Southwest China has become a national development strategy for China, offering an impetus to high-quality regional coordinated development.

It is expected to become an important economic, scientific and technological innovation center, new highland for reform and opening-up, and livable place with a high quality of life, Xinhua reported.

The western region of China, which accounts for about two-thirds of the country's land area, boasts significant advantages in the costs of production factors and development potential.

In 2023, the region's total trade reached 3.7 trillion yuan ($511 billion), up 37 percent compared with 2019, according to Xinhua.