Jetset: "To Drink or Not to Drink"

When a summer breeze blows over Beijing, it’s easy to lose count of your drinks, whether you’re sipping cocktails on a terrace or chugging 5-kuai beers in a back alley. But what if you have an early morning flight to catch?

A random survey amongst local frequent fliers found that, although some never let a flight get in the way of a rambunctious time, most prefer to board their plane sober – and stay that way while flying. Some said they might have one or two cocktails to unwind, but others cited unpleasant experiences for why they remain dry in the air.

“Once my friend and I drank so much wine on a flight from London that the flight attendants eventually refused to serve us any more – and it took me a week to recover from the hangover,” confessed one British journalist.

Medical experts are unsurprised. “Alcohol is dehydrating and so is flying,” explains Dr. Martin Springer, chairman of emergency medicine at Beijing United Family Hospital. “People who drink alcohol while flying have more pronounced hangovers due to the combined effect of dehydration and high altitude. Alcohol also interferes with your circadian rhythm and worsens jet lag.”

So the in-flight doctor-endorsed beverage is: water! Plenty of it – especially during long-haul flights. Easier for those stuck in the back of the plane these days, as airlines begin charging economy class for alcohol. Even if you’re up at the pointy end, remember that altitude and cabin pressure tend to numb your taste buds. If you can’t tell the difference between a Great Wall White and a Saint Clair Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc – why bother?

Meanwhile fliers and carriers are concerned about the H1N1 virus, aka swine flu. China has applied some of the strictest measures to passengers arriving from countries with confirmed cases, including onboard body temperature checks and a mandatory weeklong quarantine for anyone who has traveled to Mexico or had any contact with an H1N1 patient.

Doctors say people contract this virus like any other flu – by surface contact or proximity to a patient. While several US airlines have removed pillows and blankets from their aircraft and some passengers have begun wearing masks onboard, experts are skeptical about such steps.

“The risks of flying are the same as being in a crowded environment, as sick passengers may sneeze, walk down the aisle or touch things,” said Dr. Springer. “I agree with removing pillows and blankets, but what about headrests? As for masks, unless you’re wearing one along with a full-body suit, you may still catch droplets elsewhere on the body and come into contact with them.”

So the best medical advice for preventing H1N1? Wash your hands often and use alcohol gel – just like your mom used to say. Steven Jiang

This article was originally published on page 94 of the June 2009 issue of The Beijinger magazine.

Jetset: "The Joy of Double Miles"

I didn’t need to go to Boston. And even if I did, the quickest way would be flying through Chicago or Washington. So why did I fork out 875 bucks for a last-minute roundtrip ticket from Beijing to Boston via San Francisco? Three magic letters: EQM – or elite-qualifying miles.

In the convoluted world of frequent flier programs, all miles are not created equal. Most casual fliers focus on accumulating redeemable miles (RDM) because they deliver free tickets or other awards; you can earn them by staying at partner hotels or shopping with an affinity credit card.

Hardcore mileage addicts, however, focus on EQM, which bring special status and sundry perks, and can only be earned by actually flying. Most airlines offer three elite tiers – for customers who fly 25,000 miles (silver), 50,000 miles (gold) and 100,000 miles (platinum) within a calendar year.

Having maintained at least gold status with United Airlines for almost a decade, I have come to count on the “extras” – double RDM for every UA flight (enough for a free domestic US ticket after just one transpacific trip), pre-booking a coveted exit-row seat (more legroom than in domestic first class), and bypassing crowds at check-in counters and boarding gates (more time relaxing in lounges and guaranteed space for carry-ons). These all provide some solace in the increasingly less-friendly skies.

For China-based travelers, it takes three to four transpacific roundtrips to achieve gold status – ordinarily not a problem for road warriors flying on corporate dimes. But as businesses cut travel budgets, airlines are bearing the brunt of the economic downturn. Trade group IATA predicts the global airline industry will lose a combined USD 5 billion this year.

So how do airlines lure back their most loyal passengers? More EQM! Pioneered by American Airlines and quickly matched by other major US carriers, double EQM promotions are now all the rage. Until June 15, you can rake in twice as many EQM on all American, United, Continental and Delta (along with its Northwest subsidiary) flights. Translation: After just two transpacific roundtrips, you’re set for gold status on your favorite US airline for the rest of 2009 and the whole of 2010. (Each carrier has slightly different fine print – see their websites.) Non-US-based carriers, however, are less generous; so far none have followed suit.

For my Boston hop, I chose to connect through San Francisco because it offered some 2,500 more miles than the Chicago or DC routing. For a 17,236-mile Beijing-Boston roundtrip, USD 875 was already an appealing fare. Throwing in double EQM (the promotion) and double RDM (my status), I was sold. After a hearty lobster meal in Chinatown and a boisterous dorm party at Harvard, even jet lag felt like a small price to pay. Steven Jiang

This article was originally published on page 94 of the May 2009 issue of The Beijinger magazine.

Jetset: "Airline Food for Thought"

If you are what you eat, are airlines what they serve? I was pondering this question on a recent hop to Shanghai as an Air China flight attendant handed me a familiar tinfoil-wrapped item. Service on CA is not unlike its signature meat-filled shaobing – warm and satisfying, but nothing fancy. While CA and other Chinese majors still have the luxury to be mediocre in the heavily protected domestic market, their counterparts in more open aviation markets are fighting cutthroat fare wars. “Legacy airlines” face a distinct choice in economy class service: raise the bar to stand out or stoop to new lows to cut costs. Which choice is manifest in the in-flight meal.

Certain renowned carriers are still willing to spend to fulfill passengers’ gastronomical need – even those stuck in the back of the plane. Larger portions, fresher ingredients, better preparation, more beverage options and just a touch of indulgence (say, a cup of Haagen-Dazs ice cream on Singapore Airlines or Dragonair) have gone a long way to solidify their reputations.

In contrast, US domestic fliers have long kissed free economy class meal goodbye, even those on six-hour transcontinental runs. Almost all the major US airlines (with the exception of Continental) now charge coach passengers between two and nine bucks for a meal. On March 1, US Airways made headlines for restoring free soda, water and juice service in economy class. For those of you tired of being asked “chicken or fish?” on domestic Chinese flights, consider yourself spoiled.

With bargain-hunters in developed aviation markets voting with their feet, legacy airlines are calculating that customers have indicated their preference for low fares over a free meal, which is a costly service for the companies. Southwest Airlines, the world’s pioneering low-cost carrier (LCC), offers only peanuts onboard, yet still spends more than USD 17 million a year on food and drinks. Industry analysts estimate that every time the catering truck touches the plane, the airline’s expenses soar: longer turnaround times at gates, extra weight, even special coffeemakers at USD 10,000 apiece. So why not save millions by eliminating something your customers don’t seem to value that much? (Although some foodie take their in-flight meals seriously enough to dedicate an entire website – www.airlinemeals.net – to the subject.)

The bottom line is, when airlines trade free meals for cheaper tickets, you are better off financially and gastronomically. Instead of mourning the disappearance of the in-flight meal, think where the ax may fall next. The CEO of Ryanair, Europe’s largest LCC, recently entertained publicly the idea of coin-operated lavatories. With the prospect of having to spend GBP 1 (RMB 10) each time you pee, you might be grateful there are no complimentary drinks onboard. Steven Jiang

This article was originally published on page 92 of the April 2009 issue of The Beijinger magazine.

Jetset: "A Straight Path across the Strait"

The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. When it came to air travel between mainland China and Taiwan, however, the shortest flight path was anything but straight. For more than five decades, political reality forced travelers to connect through a third country or region, adding hours of hassle to what should have been an easy hop across the Taiwan Strait.

Those days are thankfully over. After years of negotiations, mainland and Taiwan authorities launched daily nonstop flights last December. Eleven airlines are currently permitted to fly 108 weekly flights between two dozen cities, potentially carrying three million travelers every year (that’s still only half of the current annual mainland-Taiwan passenger volume). Without the required Hong Kong stop or overfly, these flights have cut travel time by two-thirds. That’s a huge boon for the 600,000 or so Taiwan businessmen living in Shanghai, who can now reach Taipei in 90 minutes instead of six hours.

Closer to our home city, travelers are happy to see their Taipei flights curtailed from a seven-hour slog to a three-hour glide. Grabbing a seat can be difficult, though, especially during holidays, as demand far outstrips supply. The shortfall in capacity is likely to worsen when Taiwan starts to allow more mainland tourists in. Some analysts say Beijing has capped the nonstop flights to cushion the economic impact upon the Hong Kong and Macau airports, which earn a considerable chunk of revenue from transiting Taiwan-bound passengers.

Not surprisingly, passengers save little even as airlines save on transit and fuel costs with more direct routing. A dummy booking on Air China’s website for a mid-March Beijing-Taipei economy-class roundtrip yielded a fare of RMB 4,750 including taxes, comparable to previous prices. But at least you can earn 2,144 miles for the trip (or redeem 50,000 Air China miles for the ticket). That’s not bad considering these flights are technically charters, which usually forbid mileage accrual and redemption. On the other hand, the normalization of air links has taken the shine off cross-strait flights, with frequent fliers reporting the disappearance of special onboard amenities such as Taiwan cuisine, real chinaware and luxury pillows – at least for those stuck in the back of the plane.

For aviation enthusiasts, one bright spot remains – Air China’s dedicated fleet of jets with special paint schemes. Since the mainland’s flag carrier is unable to display the red banner in Taiwan due to local restrictions, it has instead painted the fuselages of a dozen planes with national symbols such as pandas and peonies. China Airlines – Air China’s island counterpart – went through its own makeover more than a decade ago, prior to Hong Kong’s return to the mainland. Its distinctive hand-painted plum blossom tails have since earned rave reviews worldwide. Steven Jiang

This article was originally published on page 94 of the March 2009 issue of The Beijinger magazine.

Jetset: Changes in the Air

A time for marriages and mega-carriers?

The Year of the Ox has arrived with the usual bang of firecrackers, but air travelers may not feel so bullish about flying in 2009. Although holding no crystal ball, I venture to predict one important change in the air: fewer airlines flying – both domestically and internationally. With demand for air travel plummeting faster than oil prices, the world’s air carriers are desperate to cut excess capacity and many see consolidation as the only solution to the industry’s conundrum.

Closer to home, all eyes are on China Eastern Airlines (MU), considered by many analysts to be insolvent and the prime target for acquisition. The Shanghai-based carrier has been plagued by incessant bad news in recent years – from a fatal crash and an illegal pilot strike, to a failed attempt to cooperate with Singapore Airlines (SQ), and huge losses (RMB 6.2 billion) from badly timed fuel-hedging. A last-minute capital injection of RMB 7 billion from the government and a voluntary 30-percent pay cut by its management may be too little, too late to save the struggling carrier.

Trouble is, nobody seems to have the money or interest to buy MU. Its domestic competitors are not faring much better financially, while the few potential foreign suitors are likely to think twice after the SQ deal debacle last year. Speculation is rife, though, about an arranged marriage between MU and its smaller hometown rival, Shanghai Airlines (FM) – a scenario apparently favored by the local government eager to create a dominant carrier based in China’s biggest city.

FM is currently aligned with flag carrier Air China (CA) and both are Star Alliance members. If MU mergers with FM, whither FM’s alliance status? Like other loyal Star fliers, I hate to see it lose the Shanghai hub. But the bottom line is that the government still owns all the major Chinese airlines and can order any kind of mix-and-match that it sees fit. Which does beg the question – why not just combine all the Chinese airlines under one banner like in the good old times? Talk about a true Chinese mega-carrier!

Farther afield in the US, Delta Air Lines (DL) officially tied the knot with Northwest Airlines (NW) in late October, forming the world’s largest airline, as well as its biggest frequent flier club. Given NW’s long history of serving Asia, many China-based members of its WorldPerks program understandably feel a sense of unease. Although full integration is not expected until 2010, you will see the NW brand slowly disappear and the two carriers’ loyalty schemes merge by the end of this year.

The good news is no one will lose any hard-earned miles. You will soon be able to transfer miles between the DL and NW programs, and eventually have a single DL SkyMiles account. DL will borrow a page from NW and start letting travelers gain elite status based on segments flown, in addition to miles. It will also continue awarding a minimum of 500 miles per flight, bucking the industry trend in the US. But – you knew there would be a “but” – DL will adopt its three-tiered award chart (instead of NW’s two-tier) for the combined program, effectively adding another layer of obstacles for members looking to redeem free tickets. Steven Jiang

This article was originally published on page 98 of the February 2009 issue of The Beijinger magazine.

Jetset: Turbulent Times

Falling demand means delays in new flights

For air travelers, the impact of the global economic downturn has been mixed. The plunging price of oil – after hitting almost USD 150 per barrel last summer – has forced even cash-strapped airlines to take a second look at fuel surcharges. Many carriers, including China’s “Big Three,” are finally reducing this absurd levy.

Air China, China Eastern and China Southern, as well as Hainan Air, have all lowered fuel surcharges on major international routes, cutting the original amount of RMB 1,100 by about 15 percent on flights to Europe, North America and Australia. They have also halved it to RMB 550 on flights to the Middle East (home of most of the word’s oil reserves).

Of course, airlines have always factored oil prices in their airfares; it’s not like they had been flying without jet fuel before the latest oil price surge. It is clearly ridiculous to charge consumers twice for the same thing, especially when base fares (ticket prices before taxes and fees) are also going up.

Falling oil prices, however, are “too little, too late” to save the world’s airlines from another bleak year. IATA, the global airline trade group, expected the struggling sector to lose a combined USD 5.2 billion for 2008, with both passenger and cargo volumes shrinking for the first time in five years.

What can airlines do? They could raise fares, but that would only depress already-low demand. They could go further with their nickel-and-dime approach – except there is little left for them to charge after they take away free pillows, blankets, headsets, meals, drinks, checked-in luggage and preferred seats. (Speaking of preferred seats, it was really a sign of times when Singapore Airlines, long hailed the standard-bearer of premium services in all cabins, recently decided to charge economy-class customers USD 50 per flight segment for choosing to sit in an exit-row seat, which offers more legroom.)

The only option left is to cut capacity. A China Eastern official told local media that the carrier had parked more than 20 planes since last April. He also exposed the cost of unprofitable routes in the current economic environment, with the airline losing RMB 2 million every time it flies from Shanghai to New York.

That may explain many US carriers’ change of heart on China routes. It was not long ago when they fought hard for a coveted government-allocated slot to fly here, and winners deployed their biggest jets for the flights. Amid gloomy economic news, however, several US airlines have delayed the launch of their new China flights, e.g. United’s San Francisco-Guangzhou (postponed to spring 2009), and American’s Chicago-Beijing and US Airways’ Philadelphia-Beijing (both to spring 2010).

Some US carriers have also reduced frequencies for existing flights during the winter, e.g. Delta cutting Atlanta-Shanghai from daily to five times per week. Anticipating slow travel demand during the Chinese New Year holiday, United is even suspending Washington-Beijing (already cut from daily to four times per week) for the entire month of February – an inauspicious sign for the Year of the Ox. Steven Jiang

This article was originally published on page 112 of the January 2009 issue of The Beijinger magazine.

Jetset: "Is ABC really DOA?"

Catching a holiday flight is rarely a pleasant way to start the holidays. After paying top dollar for the tickets and cramming presents into your suitcases, you start dreading the huge crowds in the terminals and on the planes while trying to calm the screaming kids. So the last thing you want on your way to the airport is to get stuck in Beijing’s notorious traffic, which has returned with a vengeance following the easing of vehicle restrictions imposed during the Olympics.

The solution to your dilemma can be as simple as ABC, literally. Airport Beijing City, the rather oddly-named express train service of the capital’s subway system, has been whisking passengers from Dongzhimen and Sanyuan Qiao to the airport since late July. Our city’s fastest subway – though most of its tracks are above surface – travels at 110 kilometers per hour and covers the 27-kilometer journey in 20 minutes – an unimaginable endeavor for taxicabs during rush hour! Trains depart every 10 minutes between 6am and 11pm. At RMB 25, the one-way ticket is a bit more expensive than the 16 yuan airport shuttle bus, but still way cheaper than your typical taxi fare, which can easily top RMB 100 with toll included.

By all measures, ABC is likely to be the best ground transportation option for a Chinese airport, and wins hands down over Shanghai’s much-touted magnetic-levitation (Maglev) train, which has become a symbol of the country’s white elephant projects. Compared to the Maglev, ABC’s operating hours are longer and its service more frequent. It also actually brings you into the city. In contrast, while the Maglev trains can float above the tracks at a top speed of 430 kilometers per hour and complete a 30-kilometer trip in less than eight minutes, they unload travelers from the remote Pudong airport to an equally inconvenient suburban subway station. Although ABC may not have bragging rights to a “cool” technology, it’s definitely more reliable and affordable (with the ticket price only half of the Maglev’s).

So why hasn’t ABC turned into a success like its counterpart in Hong Kong? The challenges of modifying traveler habits and cultivating loyalty aside, ABC has some innate flaws that may drive away potential riders. Unlike the Airport Express in Hong Kong, you are not able to obtain your boarding passes at the two in-town stations. Airline counters are slated to open at these stations in the future, but even then, passengers will not be able to check their luggage. Also, the design of the Dongzhimen terminus seems to have focused more on aesthetics (nice red columns) than user-friendliness (no escalators or elevators from the platform to the ground level). And even the platform itself – at around three meters wide – is inexplicably narrower than those in other subway stations, making the place cramped with people and luggage during busy times; meanwhile, a lack of luggage space on the trains makes the ride equally as stifling. Finally, there have been complaints about noisy trains and the poorly ventilated Terminal 3 station. Why can’t ABC take a page from the impressive Airport Express service in Hong Kong? Alas, it’s “one country, two systems” after all. Steven Jiang

This article was originally published on page 32 of the December 2008 issue of The Beijinger magazine.

Jetset: "Tianjin Takes Off"

Beijing’s long-overshadowed and oft-neglected sibling Tianjin is taking off thanks to Airbus (among others). The Toulouse-based aviation giant has just opened its first final assembly line outside Europe in the port city.

Greeted by boisterous lion dancers, I attended the opening ceremony wondering if the world is ready for made-in-China commercial jets. The factory is certainly impressive, covering an area of 600,000 square meters to accommodate not only an assembly line but also a spray painting workshop, a power station and a hangar.

The manufacturing process is equally fascinating. Six jigs loaded with parts for an Airbus A320 – including a pair of wings and the forward and rear fuselage section – were transported on a container ship from Hamburg to Tianjin. Now the workers are putting all the pieces of this huge puzzle together, aiming to roll the first plane off the line mid-2009 for an on-time delivery to Sichuan Airlines. By 2011, Airbus expects the annual capacity in Tianjin to reach 44. The plant will churn out 247 A320-series jets per year by 2016, and will also start selling them outside China.

For those of you concerned about safety, Airbus has emphasized that European engineers will be permanently on site, and that planes made in Tianjin will go through the same rigorous testing and certification processes. While many multinational companies take advantage of China’s cheap labor, Airbus has made the move more for its long-term goals than short-term gains.

Despite winning over nemesis Boeing in the worldwide market several years in a row, Airbus is still the underdog in China. Boeing entered China 13 years ahead of Airbus and still controls nearly two-thirds of the market. Although it has been gaining on Boeing since 2004, Airbus wants half of the market in five years.

One thing the two archrivals see eye to eye on is China’s huge appetite for new commercial jets in the coming years. By some estimates, China will spend some 300 billion US dollars by 2025 to triple the size of its fleet to nearly 4,000 aircraft. The bottom line: China remains one of the few bright spots in the gloomy global airline sector, which has been hit hard by volatile oil prices and slumping major economies.

By building a plant in Tianjin to assemble the popular A320, the workhorse of many airlines and the second best-selling jetliner family of all time (after Boeing’s venerable B737), Airbus has agreed to transfer some of its technology to China. Some analysts call it a decision that will bring guaranteed orders from Beijing, but others question the wisdom of helping a future competitor.

China has made no secret of its ambition in the aviation industry, introducing its first indigenous regional jet last year and launching its large commercial jet program in May. One of Airbus’ main partners in Tianjin, China Aviation Industry Corporation I (AVIC I), happens to be in charge of developing the country’s own big planes. When China unveils its own jumbo jet in the future, more than a few eyes will be scrutinizing the design for resemblance to Airbus models. Steven Jiang

This article was originally published on page 32 of the November 2008 issue of The Beijinger magazine.

Jetset: "Golden Week Blues"

Another Golden Week, another billion travelers – or so it seems. Expect to witness the burst of national wanderlust this October, as people across China take their first serious vacation after the cancellation of the weeklong May Day holiday, and the relaxation of the Olympics-related security clampdown. Airlines have been doing their part to lure travelers back in the sky with amazing offers, like Air China’s EUR 99 roundtrip fare between Munich and Beijing.

For fliers, the National Day holiday travel craze means crowds on the Airport Express trains, in front of check-in counters and at the boarding gates – if you manage to make it that far. Chinese airlines have increasingly adopted the international practice of overbooking. In other words, they sell more tickets for a flight than the plane can accommodate. Flag carrier Air China recently even posted a notice on its homepage reminding passengers about the prospect of not having a seat on a flight on which one holds a confirmed reservation.

Before anyone gets outraged about overbooking, remember that you actually agree to it when buying an air ticket (carefully read the contract of carriage). Why do the airlines do it though? Well, business fliers, who routinely pay the highest walk-up fares, often change their travel plans at the last minute. Other passengers may also fail to make their flights for various reasons including missed connections. Airlines expect these “no-shows” when they sell tickets, and overbooking allows the carriers to take off with a full plane on most runs.

Figuring out how many seats to oversell each flight is almost a science – major airlines employ analysts dedicated to calculating that magic number based on historical data stored in their vast computer reservation systems. These experts are usually right, but problems arise when everyone does show up – and that tends to occur during holidays. For check-in or gate agents, the drill is to first ask for volunteers to give up their seats in exchange for free tickets, upgrade certificates and other incentives – often a good deal if you have the time.

The nastier scenario only plays out when there are not enough volunteers. The airline will then have to refuse boarding to certain passengers based on such factors as fares paid, frequent flier status and check-in time. Despite the potential customer backlash and re-accommodation hassles, airlines overbook to maximize passenger load – thus revenue – for every flight.

As we mentioned before, while it is never a pleasant experience to be denied boarding involuntarily, rejoice if you happen to be in a Europe Union country. For long-haul international flights, you get at least EUR 600 in cash, in addition to rebooking, free meals, phone calls and a hotel room if needed. If you are stranded here in China, however, pray there is a major international event. Throughout the Olympics and Paralympics period, temporary regulations entitled passengers unable to make their original flights to unconditional re-accommodation and other generous compensations – regardless of the cause (yes, that includes bad weather). Roll on, 2010 World Expo in Shanghai. Steven Jiang

This article was originally published on page 30 of the October 2008 issue of The Beijinger magazine.

Jetset: "The Terminal"

To many frequent fliers, using a new airport terminal is like dating a new partner. You have the first impression, the trials and tribulations and finally a verdict. Almost six months after its grand opening, Beijing’s Terminal 3 has – for the most part – won me over.

By now everyone should be sick and tired of hearing the term “the world’s biggest single-building terminal.” T3 is undoubtedly gargantuan – when I took the futuristic driverless train from check-in to international gates, the journey’s destination seemed to be Tianjin. Even for domestic flights, be prepared for a Long March if your plane parks at the far end of the concourse. I am a brisk walker and left the centrally located airline lounge when boarding was announced for several such flights. By the time I reached my gate, it was already final call time.

Size does matter in the case of T3 – but I think it’s the height that has enhanced the passenger experience. An airy terminal with natural light seeping through? It had been an architectural concept rarely practiced on the mainland – and, in this day of cramped flights, that makes a real difference. T3’s other positive sides ranging from transportation access to shopping options have been well documented. So a heartfelt “thank you” to Sir Norman Foster for giving road warriors another haven after HKG.

Despite this great leap forward – and if we keep the dating metaphor – T3 is like the pretty but flawed girlfriend you sometimes love to hate. And yes, the devil is in the details. My biggest complaint so far has been bad signage. It’s not the lack of signs, but how confusing they are throughout the terminal thanks to a mind-boggling gate numbering system. It’s almost like a practical joke – signs pointing you to every possible direction for adjacent gates and often sending you back to where you started.

Even the much-welcomed new Airport Express service can fall victim to signage problems. As quite a number of flights land at T3 after the last city-bound train leaves at 10:51pm, I have already had friends make the trek only to see a closed station. It is a pain in the neck to clear security, re-enter the terminal and grab a cab during these sensitive times.

Another thoughtless element is the escalator from international arrivals gates to the level where you clear immigration. The airport authority somehow chose the narrowest type, forcing deplaning passengers to line up single file, while conveniently leaving out a staircase. The result: a full load of travelers off a jumbo jet stuck on a slow-moving escalator. Many long-haul fliers would be more than happy to stretch their legs by climbing a few steps.

T3 aside, the venerable T1 – which debuted back in 1980 – re-opened in late June after applying some light makeup. Unlike the major facelift it received from 1999 to 2004, this time T1 has simply changed tenant. It now handles the domestic flights of Hainan Airline Group, while China Southern has moved to T2. Steven Jiang

This article was originally published on page 34 of the September 2008 issue of The Beijinger magazine.

Jetset: "Navigating the Unfriendly Skies"

Summer is probably the best time to travel, but the worst to time to fly – especially now. Brace yourself for expensive tickets, delayed flights, cramped planes and minimal service. These scenarios aren’t entirely unexpected, as airlines around the world continue to cut capacity and raise fares to offset the impact of skyrocketing fuel prices. Still, it’s shocking to see how some major US carriers have taken the “nickel-and-dime” approach to a whole new level.

With little fanfare and almost no grace period, American Airlines (AA), United Airlines (UA) and US Airways (US) have begun charging passengers for all checked bags. The first bag would cost you USD 15 while the second one would set you back by another 25 bucks. This move is a slap on the face of many passengers as they are forced to check bags thanks to an increasing list of banned articles (including many toiletry items) in carry-on bags. We warned you about British Airways’ harsh baggage policy a few months ago – but at least BA showed some mercy by letting you check one bag for free.

While the US legacy carriers have exempted their elite members from the new bag fees, they are not so generous on other potential sources of revenue. Although US Airways initiated an award ticket fee ranging from USD 25 to 50, the absurdity was not legitimized until AA, the world’s largest carrier, followed suit by starting charging nearly all USD 5 to redeem a “free” ticket with their hard-earned miles. Many road warriors who cheered AA’s introduction of the world’s first frequent flier program in 1981 now greet the airline’s latest action with jeers.

Not only are “free” tickets no longer free, fliers also have to face steeper fees if they procrastinate. If you book your award seat within 21 days of departure, most US majors slap you with a so-called “close-in” processing fee up to USD 100. You will fork out even more if you need to talk to a live agent for whatever reasons – even if it’s the airline’s fault. Everything here defies logic: If passengers can find award seats closer to departure date, shouldn’t the airlines be happy about shedding some mileage liability? Instead, they reward your loyalty with another hefty fee.

Among the US majors, US Airways has stooped to a new low by taking away the last bit of complimentary in-flight service. Domestic fliers in the US have long stopped expecting free food offered onboard, but now they can also forget about free water and peanuts on US Airways. Flight attendants will happily serve you non-alcoholic beverages if you cough up 2 bucks (USD 7 for anything alcoholic). What’s more, US Airways smashed another cornerstone to the world of frequent flier programs by eliminating bonus flight miles for all elite members.

All the unsettling changes suddenly make the Chinese skies seem a lot friendlier. Planes may be equally cramped and flights are often more prone to delay, but at least you can still buy a ticket from a real human and redeem a last-minute award seat without breaking the bank. That’s what I call a harmonious (flying) society. Steven Jiang

This article was originally published on page 44 of the August 2008 issue of The Beijinger magazine.

Jetset: "Airlines Do Good"

Being a high-profile industry means the airline sector frequently finds itself in a harsh spotlight. With more Chinese flying than ever before, domestic carriers have borne the brunt of criticisms and ridicules in this country. This column has in the past examined the public outcry over poor customer service and unauthorized labor actions of mainland airlines.

All the problems aside, however, Chinese airlines have recently been deserving of better press. After the earthquake that hit Sichuan province in May, state ownership of major domestic carriers became an instant advantage, as the government was able to mobilize planes and personnel to join the rescue and recovery efforts within hours.

The airlines rose to the challenge. Flag carrier Air China (CA), whose Chengdu hub is less than 100 kilometers away from the epicenter, deployed dozens of planes to fly in rescuers and aid. After removing rows of seats on a Boeing 757 to fit in 36 stretchers, CA evacuated seriously injured patients from the quake zone to other provinces.

CA also proactively canceled some flights to and from Chengdu, and upgraded aircraft types for the remaining, making way for relief flights. The airline not only regularly updated its website on the status of affected flights but also announced a rare fee waiver for ticket-holders to and from the region, allowing them to cancel or change trips without penalty.

While the responses by CA and other Chinese carriers undoubtedly helped to generate good publicity for the companies, the speed and scope of the industry’s reaction made for an admirable display of its competency and conscience.

Even overseas carriers have joined the cause. Chicago-based United Airlines (UA), the world’s largest trans-Pacific carrier with five nonstop daily flights to mainland China, asked its customers to donate to the China Earthquake Relief Fund established by American Red Cross. As an incentive, UA set aside five million miles to award a one-time bonus of 500 miles for those who had donated USD 50 or more. The carrier reached its maximum contribution within one day!

Finally an unrelated note for aviation enthusiasts: You will have a chance to fly – or at least spot – the world’s largest commercial airliner right here at the Capital Airport ahead of the Olympics. Singapore Airlines will operate the Airbus 380 on the Beijing route August 2-8 – but only on one of its multiple daily flights from the Lion City. The Superjumbo in full view – how exciting! Steven Jiang

This article was originally published on page 42 of the July 2008 issue of The Beijinger magazine.

Jetset: "When Pilots Become Upset"

Like air travelers elsewhere, passengers in China often fall victim to stormy weather, mechanical failures and increasingly congested air traffic. Thus far, however, they haven’t suffered seeing their flights canceled or luggage unsorted as unionized airline employees picket outside terminals – a scene not uncommon in Europe or the Americas. But alas, China’s air travelers are no longer immune to the impact of labor actions.

After brewing under the surface for months – if not years – the frustration of some Chinese pilots towards their management erupted in full public view this past spring. It started as a series of suspiciously coordinated pilot sick calls at several airlines, state media reported, and it culminated on March 31 and April 1 when 21 China Eastern flights bound for different airports in Yunnan province all returned to Kunming due to “weather.” Hundreds of stranded passengers grew furious when they learned planes from other airlines had safely landed at the same destinations.

Amid ensuing public outcry and media pounding, the civil aviation authority conducted a high-profile investigation. Its conclusion: Only three of the 21 “turnarounds” were due to weather or mechanical problems; the rest were caused by pilots who “ignored passengers’ rights.”

Although the investigators did not elaborate, speculation was rife about the pilots’ motives – ranging from anger at the company over a back-tax dispute to dismay over pay discrepancy between trunk and regional routes.

Many industry analysts, however, said the blame lay with an anachronistic system. Since the pilots are sponsored throughout the costly training process – from the moment someone is chosen to fly an airliner all the way to when he or she receives his license – airlines expect life-long loyalty from pilots. This system had worked fine until the breakneck growth in air travel in recent years changed the equilibrium.

With a sudden shortage of captains and the increasing lure of new airlines, pilots at state-run carriers find themselves in great demand yet trapped in cold reality. They have to pay their current employer an astronomical sum in compensation before they can quit. Case in point: China Eastern last year demanded RMB 12.6 million from a resigning pilot, and a court only recently reduced the amount to 1.4 million. Now ask again why many pilots are disgruntled.

But nobody has gained from the China Eastern labor action. Passengers saw their travel plans ruined. Pilots involved have reportedly been suspended. The airline received severe punishment: It was fined RMB 1.5 million and lost the right to fly two of the most coveted routes in Yunnan, which had long been its cash cow as the dominant carrier in the touristy province.

The biggest loser, however, appears to be the collective credibility of Chinese airlines. One recent evening I was stuck at Shanghai’s Pudong airport. Despite the heavy fog outside, irate passengers mobbed the check-in counters and kept shouting at the agents: “Why is this flight canceled? Are your pilots on strike again?!” Steven Jiang

This article was originally published on page 36 of the June 2008 issue of That's Beijing magazine.

Jetset: "Airport Security Revisited"

All good things in life have to come to an end, and the airport experience in China is no exception. Air travel regulations seem to change faster than air fares these days. When I wrote about breezing through Chinese airport security checks for the March column, little did I realize things would take a dramatic turn.

A 19-year-old Uighur woman with a suspicious soda can. An alert flight attendant detecting smell of gasoline emanating from a lavatory. A flight diversion to Lanzhou with two terrorist suspects in custody. These were some of the details released by the government about a foiled plot to blow up China Southern flight CZ 6901 en route from Urumqi to Beijing on March 7.

The events are reminiscent of an Al-Qaeda-linked plan aimed at US-bound airliners from Britain in the summer of 2006. Like their British and American counterparts, the Chinese civil aviation authorities acted swiftly after the incident.

Although carry-on restrictions have been in place in China for a year, the one-liter cap on liquids for domestic passengers had largely been sensibly overlooked. The practice had allowed road warriors to bring toiletries on board after clearing proper and efficient security checks.

After a week of post-incident confusion, during which quite a few friends’ ChapSticks were confiscated at airports around the country, the Chinese government announced a near-complete ban on liquids for domestic flights. Exceptions are prescription medicines needed during the flight and the rather vaguely worded “limited number of cosmetics for personal use” – with each item containing less than 100 milliliters of liquid. Your favorite lip balms seem to be fine for now.

Babies aren’t so lucky this time: Formulas are not exempt. Airlines will provide them free of charge, but parents have to request in advance and have no choice in brands – perhaps one way to toughen up those flying “little emperors.”

For those of you familiar with US and UK airport procedures, if you look at the new Chinese routine and are waiting for the other shoe to drop – well, it already has. Starting March 26, passengers may have to take their shoes off while going through metal detectors. So if your socks have holes in them, it’s time to buy some new ones.

What’s more, if you travel with extra batteries for your cell phone and laptop, think twice. Many Chinese airports have a limit of two lithium batteries for each personal gadget you bring on board – either in carry-on or in checked bags. Security personnel will also conduct more pat-down and hand searches.

All the beefed-up measures ahead of the Olympics have sparked heated online debates. While most fliers appear to be willing to make some personal sacrifice for air travel safety, others blame negligence – not the old rules themselves – for the CZ 6901 incident. State media have reported security officers at the Urumqi airport failed to ask the female suspect to sip the content of the soda can as required.

With the tightened procedures snarling many checkpoint lines, major Chinese airports have increased the cut-off time for passenger check-in. For all you procrastinators out there, don’t try to cut it too fine. As inconvenient as the new rules may seem, you will likely find the experience after missing your original flight even more unpleasant. Steven Jiang

This article was originally published on page 32 of the May 2008 issue of That's Beijing magazine.

Jetset: "Airlines Go Green"

On a recent hop from London Heathrow to Amsterdam, passengers were being served drinks without snacks. An irate passenger demanded: “Where are the nuts?” A stewardess apologized: “Sorry, sir, but the nuts are fueling your flight.”

This may sound like a lame joke, but it’s not that far from actually being true. Virgin Atlantic Airways flew this route in late February with a jumbo jet using fuel derived from a mix of Brazilian babassu nuts and coconuts. Yes, the world’s first commercial flight fueled by renewable energy has taken off – albeit without any passengers onboard and with biofuels powering only one of the four engines.

Many environmentalists have branded the flight nothing more than a gimmick and questioned the sustainability of biofuel cultivation. But such criticisms have not dampened the enthusiasm of Virgin’s Richard Branson. He claimed the pioneering flight has demonstrated his carrier’s serious commitment to reducing carbon emissions.

It was certainly a timely message. The airline industry is taking a lot of heat for its role in global warming, even though commercial buildings emit more greenhouse gases than commercial airplanes. In Europe, some lawmakers are already proposing to reduce air travel by heavy taxes and other means.

Why the outcry against the airline industry? Experts say its phenomenal success – the number of passengers in the US alone already approaches one billion per year – may have brought its own undoing. While commercial aviation accounts for only about five percent of all fossil fuel emissions worldwide, climate-changing pollutants from airplanes in the US, for instance, could rise to as much as five times current levels by 2025 if the sector continues its rapid growth.

Airlines seem to have come up with a crafty solution to shed their eco-unfriendly image: a so-called carbon-offset scheme. In other words, when you buy an airline ticket, part of the fee will be given to an environmental group. Although no Chinese mainland airlines offer such programs yet, quite a few international carriers flying to China do.

Some airlines charge a flat environmental fee for a roundtrip (on Delta, USD 5.5 domestically and 11 bucks internationally). Others determine the amount based on actual emissions, flight distance and class of travel. On the websites of Cathay Pacific or Dragonair, the first Asian airline group to introduce a carbon-offset scheme last December, you can work out a figure with the smart online calculator. An economy-class roundtrip between Beijing and Hong Kong, for example, will produce 0.37 tons of carbon-dioxide – and you need to fork out 25.5 kuai to offset that. They even let you pay with frequent flier miles (686 Asia Miles in this case). Your contribution will be put into a wind farm project near Shanghai. Steven Jiang

This article was originally published on page 32 of the April 2008 issue of That's Beijing magazine.

Jetset: "Airport Security, Chinese Style"

The long lines, impatient staff and pointless procedures at an American airport security checkpoint these days may lead to the unthinkable: appreciation for the Chinese system. The drill: laptop out, jacket and shoes off, liquids and gels confiscated. And after all that – with numerous ID/boarding pass checks thrown in – the alarm still goes off after you walk through the finely tuned metal detector, triggering a brisk pat-down. Fortunately even the Americans have never enforced the now-discarded “one carry-on only” policy that the British did for a while at London’s Heathrow airport.

The process here tends to be a lot more straightforward. I have usually been able to whisk through security checks at Chinese airports without having to expose embarrassing holes on my socks or bidding farewell to my Listerine mouthwash. Technically there is a one-liter limit on the amount of liquids you can bring onboard, but security personnel tend to be very lenient on your toiletries for domestic flights. They also allow you to keep non-alcoholic beverages as long as you take a sip. Alcohol remains a no-no – though you wonder if the ban actually is aiming to help boost sales of the Moutai inside security.

Incidentally, have you noticed how polite airport security personnel in China have become lately? Whether manning security checkpoints or behind immigration counters, many of them greet you with a smile and speak to you in a nice tone. Talk about getting into the Olympic spirit! At the Beijing airport, you can even rate the immigration officers’ performance with the press of a button (though I would think carefully about casting a “bad” vote).

Before you throw the “safety before convenience” argument at me, let me point you to a widely circulated recent column in the New York Times titled “The Airport Security Follies.” Penned by a seasoned pilot/author, the article has struck a chord with countless frequent fliers thanks to its superb dissection on the absurdities of many security measures. For example, most experts agree the possibility of someone concocting a liquid bomb with hair gels in a lavatory is near-zero. The bottom line: “Air crimes need to be stopped at the planning stages. By the time a terrorist gets to the airport, chances are it’s too late.”

Some passengers have already responded to what they see as unreasonable regulations with extreme actions. A man almost died from alcohol poisoning after chugging a liter of vodka (yes, the whole bottle) at a German airport security check last December, instead of handing it over to comply with carry-on rules.

My assessment on the Chinese airport security checkpoints is a sober one, however, and I am not alone in giving the system an approving nod. A Shanghai-based correspondent for the US magazine The Atlantic has enthusiastically described to his American readers the airport experience in China as “low-stress.” Now I wouldn’t go that far – has he not tried to board a flight here? Steven Jiang

This article was originally published on page 34 of the March 2008 issue of That's Beijing magazine.

Jetset: "The Alliance War"

Growing up I was fascinated by the sight of Pan Am planes taking off from exotic locations in Cold War-era James Bond movies. A 1979 route map showed the United States’ former unofficial flag carrier literally flying to every corner of the world: from Mumbai to Montevideo, and from Nadi to Nairobi.

But alas, that map also marked the beginning of the end. Starting in the late 1970s, flag carriers faced an increasingly volatile business environment as they gradually lost their monopoly on once-prestigious and lucrative long-haul routes. Some of the best-known names in the world airline roster have since disappeared: TWA of the US, Swissair, Sabena of Belgium and, of course, Pan Am.

Dominating the skies today are three global airline alliances. Star Alliance, the oldest and biggest, was co-founded by Lufthansa and United, and now boasts 19 members, with Air China and Shanghai Airlines being the newest. Skyteam, launched by Air France and Delta, has ten members, including China Southern. Oneworld, anchored by American Airlines and British Airways, also has ten members but has yet to see a Chinese carrier in its ranks.

Airlines formed alliances to cut costs and increase revenues, creating virtual cross-border mergers without having to clear prohibitive regulatory hurdles. Members within an alliance code-share, or place codes on each other’s flights and sell seats on partner flights as if their own. This practice allows airlines to cover the globe in a way that even Pan Am in its heyday could not, and make more money without adding a single plane.

Consumers benefit, too. You may notice ease of transfer at hubs, especially as alliance members coordinate schedules and push for an “under-one-roof” strategy. Star Alliance members, for instance, will move together into Beijing’s new Terminal 3 and Shanghai Pudong’s new Terminal 2 later this year.

The most-touted advantage, however, has to be reciprocal frequent flier benefits. By joining one program, you can now accrue and redeem miles on all member carriers, instantaneously multiplying your choices for a dream vacation (Star Alliance members, take note of Air China’s new flight to Pyongyang). Top elite members have even more to cheer for, as your status will be recognized across the alliance, meaning perks ranging from priority check-in and boarding, to bigger luggage allowance and free lounge access around the globe.

But it seems that members often take months to be on the same page. One Air China gold member was recently unceremoniously denied entry to a Star Alliance lounge in Switzerland since the computer system failed to recognize his status. And many members – especially those with smaller airlines – do not welcome the added competition for award seats on their home airline.

As grand as the term sounds, global airline alliances often seem to be marriages of convenience. With conditions, members can quit or get kicked out, and they never stop flirting with potential suitors in rival alliances. Air China, a Star member, and Oneworld’s Cathay Pacific cross-own each other. Singapore Airlines, another Star member, has tried to buy a major stake in unaffiliated China Eastern, only to run into a joint counter-bid from Air China and Cathay Pacific. All these intrigues make for some interesting in-flight entertainment. Steven Jiang

This article was originally published on page 34 of the February 2008 issue of That's Beijing magazine.

Jetset: "Dreamliner vs. Superjumbo"

Now that Airbus’ new A380 has finally started crisscrossing the world’s already busy skies, all eyes are on Boeing’s response to the European plane-maker’s much-hyped Superjumbo. Contrary to expectations, Boeing has opted for a mid-sized, wide-body jetliner carrying between 210 and 330 passengers (as opposed to the colossal A380 that seats up to 853). The twin-engine B787 may be dwarfed by the A380 in size, but is revolutionary in other aspects. In addition to new-generation engines and avionics, the B787, nicknamed Dreamliner, is the first ever “plastic plane” – an innovation has been a point of pride for Boeing but a subject of skepticism and ridicule from its detractors.

Instead of traditional metal, lighter and stronger composite materials – 35 tons of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic to be exact – are used to build each B787, including its entire fuselage as well as wings, tail, doors and interior. The result, according to Boeing, is a plane at least 20 percent more fuel-efficient than its rivals, a very appealing selling point when crude oil prices are hovering around USD 100 per barrel.

Passengers are likely to appreciate the B787 for its roomy cabin design (38cm wider than current competing models). They will also be able to see the horizon through larger cabin windows with higher eye level and futuristic auto-dimming features; breathe more easily in cleaner air provided by an advanced air-conditioning system; and enjoy a quieter ride thanks to new engine noise-reducing technologies.

Both Airbus and Boeing agree on the continuation of rapid growth in worldwide air travel, but their responses reveal their clashing views on the future trend. Airbus sees major airlines ferrying more and more passengers through their already-crowded mega-hubs to cope up with the rising demand – thus the need for the Superjumbo. Boeing, however, anticipates more travelers trying to avoid those congested hubs, opting instead for point-to-point service between smaller cities. So-called “thin long-haul routes” like Chengdu-Los Angeles and Beijing-Denver are already being touted as ideal for the B787 because of its operational efficiency.

Each manufacturer’s bet on its prediction is a multi-billion-dollar one, and it’s still way too early to declare the winner. So far the B787 has a leg up with some 50 airlines placing more than 800 orders, making it the fastest-selling wide-body jet ever before entry into service. The A380, in contrast, has logged fewer than 200 orders from 18 customers. But the B787 has suffered a blow as Boeing had to announce that, due to production delay, the first Dreamliner won’t be delivered to its launch customer All Nippon Airways (ANA) until December 2008, six months behind schedule.

That’s bad news for the five Chinese airlines (Air China, China Eastern, China Southern, Hainan and Shanghai) that combined have ordered almost 60 B787s. They had planned to start flying the shiny new plane to Beijing before the Olympics. Unfortunately for the airlines, the Games’ slogan is now more like “One World, No Dream(liner).” Steven Jiang

This article was originally published on page 38 of the January 2008 issue of That's Beijing magazine.

Jetset: "When Whales Fly"

For the new Airbus 380, size is all that matters. At 73 meters long, 24 meters high with a wingspan reaching 80 meters and an empty weight of nearly 280 metric tons, the so-called superjumbo eclipses its nearest competitor, the Boeing 747-400. Several meters longer, higher and wider, and 100 tons heavier, the A380 ends the B747-400’s reign of almost four decades as the world’s largest commercial airliner.

The new plane is Airbus’ multi-billion dollar bet that airlines need an advanced super-sized aircraft to carry a rapidly growing number of passengers between increasingly congested major airports, especially in Asia. A quick glance at the equipment list from Air China’s timetable between Beijing and Shanghai seems to prove the European plane-maker’s point. Air China (CA) deploys an impressive mix of B747, B767, B777 and A330 wide-bodies (with a few B737s thrown in) on this 90-minute hop everyday.

The combined cabin space for the A380 is some 550 square meters, the size of three tennis courts. What goes into this space is of course up to the individual airlines – and the bar has been set high by the first A380 operator, Singapore Airlines (SQ), an airline renowned for its cabin amenities and in-flight services. Although Airbus advertises the plane’s seating capacity as 525 in a typical three-class arrangement and 853 in a single-class configuration, SQ has opted for only 471 seats, creating a roomier environment.

The SQ A380 boasts a new “Beyond First Class” up front, offering each of its 12 highest-paying customers a mini-cabin fitted with a full-flat bed, a leather upholstered seat, a table and a 23-inch TV screen. For high-roller couples, two suites can be joined to provide a double bed for more intimacy under mood lighting – though SQ officials have publicly discouraged any mile-high-club activities.

Aviation enthusiasts derive their pleasure from simply riding on this sky liner. Many of them shelled out top dollar in an eBay charity auction for a place on the superjumbo’s maiden commercial flight on October 25, from Singapore to Sydney. A British dot-com billionaire forked out more than USD 100,000 for two suites and seated himself in 1A, although passengers in the 60 business and 399 economy seats spent less for their piece of history. If you want to experience the A380’s premium cabins anytime soon, however, be ready to pay a premium as SQ will remain the sole operator until the summer of 2008.

Closer to home, China Southern (CZ) is the only Chinese carrier with an A380 order. The first of CZ’s five superjumbos is not expected to join its fleet until 2009, but airline officials have promised same fare for its A380 flights, thanks to lower operational costs from increased capacity and fuel efficiency. Steven Jiang

This article was originally published on page 42 of the December 2007 issue of That's Beijing magazine.

Jetset: "High Anxiety Over Low-Cost Carriers"

The recent deadly accident in Phuket involving Thailand’s One-Two-Go budget airline has raised a pressing question: In the age of dramatic expansion of air travel in Asia, how safe is it to fly the region’s growing number of low-cost carriers (LCCs)?

The advice from aviation experts is simple: Pay attention to the airline’s past safety record and the age of its planes. Since a plane only makes money when it’s carrying passengers, LCCs try to maximize their aircraft utilization by keeping the planes in the air as long as possible every day. This practice requires top-notch maintenance – and therein lies the Achilles’ heel for some Asian LCCs.

Amid all the boom, experts say some carriers have had trouble finding qualified pilots and mechanics, while some governments have been unable to cope with their increased role in overseeing the industry. Indonesia, for instance, has witnessed several fatal accidents involving its LCCs in recent years. A word of caution on aircraft age: Properly maintained planes can fly safely for decades; DC-9s, which haven’t been built since 1982, remain the workhorse for US-based Northwest Airlines. So don’t jump to quick conclusions.

It also helps to look at the anatomy of LCCs before you make a decision to fly them or not. LCCs can offer amazing deals because they cut their operational costs by simplifying fleet and fare structures, as well as eliminating traditional services. When you buy a ticket, a seat on the plane is all you’ve got. Everything else – from checked-in bags to food and beverages – will set you back extra.

The birth of Chinese LCCs has been difficult. Several new private airlines that aspired to become LCCs had to give up the idea after running into regulatory obstacles. The government still sets airfares and has the final say on everything, ranging from route authority and airport landing fees to jet fuel prices, so airlines find almost 80 percent of their operational costs are “fixed.”

The one domestic LCC that has survived and thrived is Shanghai-based Spring Airlines. It now flies to a few dozen destinations across China with six single-class Airbus 320s – and has been profitable since its launch in 2005.

Growing pains continue for Spring, however. Fliers still complain bitterly about the lack of “freebies” while local governments remain hostile. When Spring offered RMB 1 tickets on its new route to Jinan, instead of being applauded, it was fined for breaking with the official price structure.

Although it hopes to become China’s Southwest Airlines (the US-based LCC pioneer), Spring may want to think twice before copying some of the latest customer-unfriendly moves by Western LCCs. Ryanair recently announced it would charge passengers for checking in at the airport (instead of online). Now that’s just a step too far… my question is: Can onboard coin-operated lavatories be far ahead? Steven Jiang

This article was originally published on page 32 of the November 2007 issue of That's Beijing magazine.