TOPIC

/ company

Air China

Air China is the flag carrier and one of the major airlines of the People's Republic of China. Based in Beijing it is one of the world’s largest airlines in terms of fleet size.

Chairman / President

Wang Mingyuan

CFO / Finance Director

Sun Yuquan

Industry

Airline

Website

airchina.com

Headquarters address

Beijing Tianzhu Airport Industrial Zone, Shunyi District, Beijing, China

Stock Code

SEHK:0753

Year founded

1988

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on August 31. Photo: Xinhua via AP

SCMP Highlights

China’s Xi eyes Apec trilateral; no outrunning deadly Nepal floods: 7 highlights

From an Air China jet grounded in New York to a Hong Kong school’s legal settlement, here are top stories from SCMP’s recent reporting.

4 Sep 2026 - 12:15PM

United States

Video | Air China aircraft grounded in New York after refuelling mishap

3 Sep 2026 - 2:12PM

Accidents and disasters in China

Air China Boeing 747 grounded in New York following gate refuelling incident

3 Sep 2026 - 2:25PMvideocam

China travel

China’s 3 major airlines bet on global demand to offset deep losses: analysts

Chinese carriers choose low fares, long-term expansion as regional conflicts and weak domestic demand affect revenues.

1 Sep 2026 - 7:04PMvideocam

A China Eastern Airlines Airbus A330 aircraft as seen on final approach to London’s Heathrow Airport. Photo: Getty Images

Accidents and disasters in China

Storm travel chaos as Typhoon Saudel makes double landfall in China

US embassy urges American citizens to stay clear of affected coastal and storm zones and track local news for updates.

28 Aug 2026 - 5:43PMvideocam

China’s C919 passenger plane

‘Very smooth’: what one traveller saw on C919’s milestone international flight

Comac jet’s flight to Mongolian capital on par with Boeing’s 737 and Airbus’ A320, says passenger who hopes to see more C919 destinations.

13 Aug 2026 - 9:14PMvideocam

Tourism

China’s travellers raise alarm over error-filled tourist signs in public spaces

Passengers share examples on social media of mistranslations and spelling errors, along with concern at the effect on the country’s image.

13 Aug 2026 - 10:02PM

A screenshot from a social media post shared on Tuesday highlighting a mistranslation on a sign at an expressway service area in northwestern China. Photo: Douyin

China airliners

Aerospace | China’s civil aviation ambitions gain some lift

Flagship narrowbody airliner makes international debut, regional jet wins record order, push to fast-track widebody and domestic jet engine projects.

17 Aug 2026 - 4:55PM

Accidents and disasters in China

Typhoon Dolphin grounds hundreds of flights as it approaches eastern China

Airlines offer free flight changes and cancellations ahead of the storm, which is expected to bring torrential rain to the region.

8 Aug 2026 - 7:55PM

Hong Kong economy

Cathay Pacific posts 71% profit rise to HK$6.24 billion in first half of year

Numbers driven by stronger demand, but Hong Kong flag carrier warns of headwinds caused by escalating Middle East conflict.

5 Aug 2026 - 11:26PM

A Cathay Pacific plane takes off from Hong Kong International Airport in May this year. Photo: Elson Li

Accidents and disasters in China

Rail and air services cancelled as southern China braces for Typhoon Noul

The third typhoon to hit the country this month is expected to make landfall overnight bringing heavy rains and strong winds.

25 Jul 2026 - 6:10PM

Rail operators have started cancelling services in Guangdong. Photo: CCTV

Cathay Pacific

Cathay Pacific expects first-half profit to jump 75% to HK$6.5 billion

Growth in passenger and cargo volumes, plus HK$1.4 billion one-off gain, boosts earnings.

22 Jul 2026 - 7:36PM

China airliners

China’s C919 passenger jets to enter service on first international route

Air China’s daily flights to and from Mongolia mark an important milestone for the country’s efforts to end reliance on Western-built planes.

19 Jul 2026 - 8:56PMvideocam

China airliners

Taking flight: Airbus secures a big order from Chinese airlines

Air China says it will purchase 15 widebody A350-900 jets, while subsidiary Shenzhen Airlines will buy 40 narrowbody A320neo aircraft.

17 Jul 2026 - 9:30PM

An Air China Airbus A350-900 airplane at Shanghai Pudong Airport on April 10, 2024. Photo: Shutterstock

China Railway

On This Day | Shanghai-Beijing high-speed rail link officially began operations in 2011 – SCMP archive

The landmark Shanghai–to–Beijing rail link marks a new era for Chinese transit.

30 Jun 2026 - 2:55PM

A train driver sits in a new high-speed train before it departs from the Beijing-South railway station for Shanghai as part of an official trip for members of the media June 27, 2011. Photo: Reuters

China’s C919 passenger plane

China’s first C919s get critical ‘C-checks’ as European regulators watch

The first deep-level maintenance of Comac’s narrowbody jet is expected to provide the data needed to prove the aircraft’s long-term durability to global inspectors.

15 Jun 2026 - 5:00PMvideocam

China airliners

Air China C909 hits bird as Chinese jets face growing ‘real-world’ tests

Wildlife strike in Beijing caught on video near popular vantage point, illustrating how rising flight volumes expose Comac’s fleet of jets to more operational risks.

11 Jun 2026 - 12:24PM

China trade

Tungsten and eyelashes: N Korea-China trade hits 9-year high as Xi hails ties

On his state visit to Pyongyang, President Xi eyes infrastructure, agriculture and tech gains as cross-border rail restarts, while high volumes of hair and tungsten fuel China’s imports.

8 Jun 2026 - 7:33PMvideocam

A street is decorated with the flags of China and North Korea in Pyongyang on Monday during President Xi Jinping’s state visit. Photo: AP

China airliners

China widens repair network for C919, C909 jets to outfly supply disruptions

China’s home-grown jets will be able to stay in the air for longer as maintenance centres open on the mainland, some with Hong Kong servicers.

7 Jun 2026 - 8:00PMvideocam

China-North Korea relations

Chinese leader Xi Jinping visit to North Korea confirmed for next week

Relations rebuilding after years of relative isolation due to pandemic, Beijing’s denuclearisation stance and closer Pyongyang-Moscow ties.

5 Jun 2026 - 6:21PMvideocam

China-North Korea relations

A quiet reset in ties is brewing along the China-North Korea border

The resumption of train routes and a spike in overland trade underscore a reset in ties ahead of a reported leaders’ summit.

27 May 2026 - 10:15AMvideocam

2026 Xi-Trump summits

Trump, touting deal, says China to buy 200 Boeing jets with promise for more

After leaving Beijing, the US president announced a pledge to buy at least 200 jets, and up to 750 under certain conditions.

15 May 2026 - 8:24PMvideocam

An Air China Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner taxis to a runway before takeoff in Beijing on Saturday. Photo: AFP

2026 Xi-Trump summits

‘A flying White House’: Trump’s Air Force One fuels fascination in China

Hundreds of Beijing residents join professional photographers at vantage points near airport to capture arrival of the presidential plane.

14 May 2026 - 6:36PM

China airliners

Expat pilots hoping to fly in China warned their credentials no longer coveted

China’s aviation market still attracts foreign pilots but they face high competition, rigid standards as overseas experience loses its shine.

6 May 2026 - 9:00PMvideocam

China airliners

China Southern orders Airbus jets worth US$21b as Boeing waits

Airline joins state-owned peers in placing large orders with European manufacturer, while rumoured Boeing deal could hinge on Trump visit.

29 Apr 2026 - 10:57PM

The order covers 137 A320neo jets for China Southern Airlines and subsidiary Xiamen Airlines. Photo: Handout

Aviation

Rolls-Royce boosts China presence with engine maintenance venture

The maintenance, repair and overhaul facility in Beijing will be capable of handling up to 250 shop visits per year.

28 Apr 2026 - 7:30AM

A Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engine. Photo: Rolls-Royce

China airliners

‘Not compromising quality’: why China’s C919 is falling behind on deliveries

Deliveries of the home-grown airliner billed to take on US, European competitors have been slow, with just three dispatched in the first quarter.

20 Apr 2026 - 11:14AMvideocam

China energy security

Chinese airlines shed weight, add flights over Russia to trim fuel costs

Some carriers have even removed non-essential items like in-flight magazines from their planes.

3 Apr 2026 - 5:07PM

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Air China

China’s Xi eyes Apec trilateral; no outrunning deadly Nepal floods: 7 highlights

From an Air China jet grounded in New York to a Hong Kong school’s legal settlement, here are top stories from SCMP’s recent reporting.

.css-1f6sr3w{color:#727272;}Video | Air China aircraft grounded in New York after refuelling mishap

Air China Boeing 747 grounded in New York following gate refuelling incident

China’s 3 major airlines bet on global demand to offset deep losses: analysts

Chinese carriers choose low fares, long-term expansion as regional conflicts and weak domestic demand affect revenues.

Storm travel chaos as Typhoon Saudel makes double landfall in China

US embassy urges American citizens to stay clear of affected coastal and storm zones and track local news for updates.

‘Very smooth’: what one traveller saw on C919’s milestone international flight

Comac jet’s flight to Mongolian capital on par with Boeing’s 737 and Airbus’ A320, says passenger who hopes to see more C919 destinations.

China’s travellers raise alarm over error-filled tourist signs in public spaces

Passengers share examples on social media of mistranslations and spelling errors, along with concern at the effect on the country’s image.

Aerospace | China’s civil aviation ambitions gain some lift

Flagship narrowbody airliner makes international debut, regional jet wins record order, push to fast-track widebody and domestic jet engine projects.

Typhoon Dolphin grounds hundreds of flights as it approaches eastern China

Airlines offer free flight changes and cancellations ahead of the storm, which is expected to bring torrential rain to the region.

Cathay Pacific posts 71% profit rise to HK$6.24 billion in first half of year

Numbers driven by stronger demand, but Hong Kong flag carrier warns of headwinds caused by escalating Middle East conflict.

Rail and air services cancelled as southern China braces for Typhoon Noul

The third typhoon to hit the country this month is expected to make landfall overnight bringing heavy rains and strong winds.

Cathay Pacific expects first-half profit to jump 75% to HK$6.5 billion

Growth in passenger and cargo volumes, plus HK$1.4 billion one-off gain, boosts earnings.

China’s C919 passenger jets to enter service on first international route

Air China’s daily flights to and from Mongolia mark an important milestone for the country’s efforts to end reliance on Western-built planes.

Taking flight: Airbus secures a big order from Chinese airlines

Air China says it will purchase 15 widebody A350-900 jets, while subsidiary Shenzhen Airlines will buy 40 narrowbody A320neo aircraft.

On This Day | Shanghai-Beijing high-speed rail link officially began operations in 2011 – SCMP archive

The landmark Shanghai–to–Beijing rail link marks a new era for Chinese transit.

China’s first C919s get critical ‘C-checks’ as European regulators watch

The first deep-level maintenance of Comac’s narrowbody jet is expected to provide the data needed to prove the aircraft’s long-term durability to global inspectors.

Air China C909 hits bird as Chinese jets face growing ‘real-world’ tests

Wildlife strike in Beijing caught on video near popular vantage point, illustrating how rising flight volumes expose Comac’s fleet of jets to more operational risks.

Tungsten and eyelashes: N Korea-China trade hits 9-year high as Xi hails ties

On his state visit to Pyongyang, President Xi eyes infrastructure, agriculture and tech gains as cross-border rail restarts, while high volumes of hair and tungsten fuel China’s imports.

China widens repair network for C919, C909 jets to outfly supply disruptions

China’s home-grown jets will be able to stay in the air for longer as maintenance centres open on the mainland, some with Hong Kong servicers.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping visit to North Korea confirmed for next week

Relations rebuilding after years of relative isolation due to pandemic, Beijing’s denuclearisation stance and closer Pyongyang-Moscow ties.

A quiet reset in ties is brewing along the China-North Korea border

The resumption of train routes and a spike in overland trade underscore a reset in ties ahead of a reported leaders’ summit.

Trump, touting deal, says China to buy 200 Boeing jets with promise for more

After leaving Beijing, the US president announced a pledge to buy at least 200 jets, and up to 750 under certain conditions.

‘A flying White House’: Trump’s Air Force One fuels fascination in China

Hundreds of Beijing residents join professional photographers at vantage points near airport to capture arrival of the presidential plane.

Expat pilots hoping to fly in China warned their credentials no longer coveted

China’s aviation market still attracts foreign pilots but they face high competition, rigid standards as overseas experience loses its shine.

China Southern orders Airbus jets worth US$21b as Boeing waits

Airline joins state-owned peers in placing large orders with European manufacturer, while rumoured Boeing deal could hinge on Trump visit.

Rolls-Royce boosts China presence with engine maintenance venture

The maintenance, repair and overhaul facility in Beijing will be capable of handling up to 250 shop visits per year.

‘Not compromising quality’: why China’s C919 is falling behind on deliveries

Deliveries of the home-grown airliner billed to take on US, European competitors have been slow, with just three dispatched in the first quarter.

Chinese airlines shed weight, add flights over Russia to trim fuel costs

Some carriers have even removed non-essential items like in-flight magazines from their planes.

Video | Air China aircraft grounded in New York after refuelling mishap