Air China to Launch First "V-flight" to Xi'an World Garden Expo

BEIJING, June 1, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Air China will launch its first "V-flight" to the Xi'an World Garden Expo on July 1st. The "V-flight" is an exclusive flight that is only available for purchase via Air China's online payment platform on Sina Microblog.

The "V-flight" will depart from Beijing at 6:50am on July 1st, 2011. The promotional airfare for the flight is 680 RMB (including taxes) -- a discount of 52 percent.

Beginning on June 1st, participants can register for a Sina Microblog and go to http://weihangban.sina.com.cn to purchase a seat on the flight. The ticketing period for the "V-Flight" will last from June 1st to June 15th. In order for Air China to officially launch the flight, the number of Sina Microblog users that purchase a seat on the "V-flight" must equal 150 or more by June 15th.

Air China will announce the total number of seat purchases and whether they will launch the "V-flight" three business days after the deadline. During the ticketing period, netizens can not only purchase a seat on the flight, they can also select members of the cabin crew and meal options for breakfast on the plane.

All travelers on the "V-flight" will be presented with a commemorative "V-flight" model plane and a "V-flight" medal from Air China. Any flyers on the flight who belong to Air China's "Phoenix Miles" frequent flyer program will be awarded with 2,000 award miles. Flyers that do not belong to "Phoenix Miles" but who choose to apply for membership will also be awarded 2,000 frequent flyer miles.

"As a tailor-made product based on the unique characteristics of Sina Microblog, the launch of the new 'V-flight' is a great innovation of Air China's in the new media era; and the first time we have customized a product based on Sina Microblog," said the marketing department head of Air China. "We hope this event will provide travelers with a flexible and diverse flying experience, as well as help to further deepen Air China's connection with new media users."

Air China

Air China is China's only national flag carrier and a Star Alliance member. In addition to commercial operations, it also provides special flight services for the country's state leaders on official visits to other countries. With a fleet of 290 Airbus and Boeing aircraft, Air China runs 266 routes: 69 international, 13 regional, and 184 domestic, that serve a total of 137 cities, including 42 international, 3 regional and 92 domestic, in 29 countries and regions. The airline offers over 6,900 flights with over 1,000,000 seats every week. Thanks to its admission to the Star Alliance, Air China's route network, with Beijing as its hub, is able to place 1,121 destinations in 178 countries within its reach.

For more information, please visit Air China's website at www.airchina.com, or call Air China's service hotline at 4008-100-999.