Air China has become the first airline in mainland China to ban shark fin cargo, marking a dramatic shift in attitudes toward trade in endangered wildlife in China and throwing a lifeline to shark populations threatened with imminent extinction. The news, released late Friday, came just a week after China also announced plans to ban its domestic ivory trade, a landmark decision of vital importance in ending an epidemic of elephant poaching in Africa. It marks the country's gradual transformation from being the biggest source of the problem - as the largest market in illegal wildlife products - to becoming a major part of the solution. At least 35 other airlines and 17 global container shipping lines around the world have also signed up to the campaign to ban the shipment of shark fin. <br/>
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Air India Monday said that it disagrees with a report published by data services company FlightStats which has ranked the airline as the third worst global performer in terms of on-time operations in 2016. "We totally disagree with the report published by FlightStats about AI," an Air India spokesperson said. "Initially it seems that the report is fabricated, so AI management will investigate the report till the end." In contrast, LCC IndiGo reported that it has been recognised as one of the leading "On-Time Performers" in the Asia-Pacific region by FlightStats in its 8th Annual Airline On-Time Performance Service Awards, Jan 2017. IndiGo said the airline has been able to maintain its impressive OTP over a long period of time due to its unmatchable operational efficiency. <br/>
Ethiopian Airlines is expanding its China network to include 3X-weekly Boeing 787-8 Addis Ababa-Chengdu services from June 3. Chengdu, China seventh-largest city, is a major hub for Air China, which is an Ethiopian Star Alliance partner. Passengers should be able to connect to dozens of cities in China with Air China, including Shenzhen, Kunming, Hangzhou, Xiamen, Wuhan, Changsha and Urumqi. Ethiopian Airlines CE Tewolde Gebremariam said Chengdu is the carrier’s fifth destination in China. “Since our first flight 43 years ago, China has been a key market and it is now the largest per country market in our system,” he said. In addition to the new Chengdu services, the number of weekly nonstop flights to China will rise to 34. <br/>