Proudly bearing the five joyous Olympic Mascots, the Air China CA2008 “Lucky Olympics” charter flight arrived safely and on schedule at Beijing Capital International Airport at 4:20 p.m. on August 5, 2008.This arrival marked a perfect conclusion to China’s domestic air transport task for the Olympic torch relay.

As Vice General Secretary of the State Council Xiang Zhaolun stepped off the plane, he was greeted with a warm handshake from Cai Fuzhao, Deputy Mayor, Minister of Propaganda and Member of the Standing Committee of Beijing City.  Deputy Executive Chairman of the BOCOG Jiang Xiaoyu and Liu Jigang, the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Department of the Torch Relay for the Beijing Olympics and Director of the BOCOG Torch Relay Center were also present to welcome the torch.  Kong Dong, General Manager of China National Aviation Holding Company (CNAHC) and Chairman of Air China, CCP Secretary of CNAHC Wang Yinxiang, Air China President Cai Jianjiang, CCP Secretary of Air China Tan Zhihong, Vice Presidents Song Zhiyong and He Li, and Top Pilot Gao Dianbang were also on the ramp to welcome the triumphant return of the Olympic torch and the flight crew.  Leaders from BOCOG praised Air China for its faultless aviation and security performance.  The successful completion of this important task was the result of the tireless efforts of the entire Air China Staff, whose meticulous planning guaranteed tight security, careful implementation ensured punctuality and earnest service delivered entirely on its quality guarantee.

In terms of aviation and ground security, the air transport task for China’s domestic Olympic torch relay, undertaken by Air China, proved to be just as difficult as the overseas relay, during which several firsts in civil aviation history were achieved. The Air China charter flight visited 38 domestic cities, implementing the strict guarantee standards for charter flights ensuring a high-level of service. The high frequency of aviation tasks implemented at airports on the plateau, as well as the complex natural conditions and social environment added to the difficulty of fulfilling the task. In addition, the flights were also faced with an extensive itinerary, vast ranges between locations, numerous links, inconsistency of transport routes, and the long time-span of the task as a whole, as well as frequently changing plans, changes in flight schedules, and the high demand for precision flight timing. The guarantee personnel of Air China not only had to conquer altitude stress and difficulties in takeoff and landing, at airports such Lhasa, Gomud, Xining, Lijiang, Shangri-La and Kunming, but were also tested by their guarantee of smooth operations at smaller airports such as Kashkar, Yuncheng, Jiayuguan, Nanchong, Chifeng, and Yan’an. The highly responsible Air China staff has remarkably completed this task with their professional piloting skills and their high level guarantee capability.

To best negotiate the takeoff and landing conditions for its numerous stopovers, Air China flew the Airbus A319 for the Plateau stops and the Boeing 737-800 “Lucky Olympics” for the remaining routes. This was yet another demonstration of the care and dedication of Air China in extending its best wishes to the Olympic Games. After carefully studying their fleet, as well as conducting scientific analysis of each aircraft’s reliability data, engine status monitoring data, malfunction follow-ups in the last several months, rectification of repair issues and the temporary use of self-made parts and implementation of airworthiness directives, Air China finally selected one-year-old planes of the best condition and performance. Comprehensive inspection and maintenance was also conducted to ensure the very best performance from each aircraft. In addition, spare planes were also chosen in reserve, and details such as cabin carpets and removable tables were replaced.

Air China hand picked its crew from a pool of veterans boasting the highest level of professional skills and psychological quality, forming a special guarantee agency comprised only of these highly valued staff members. It also dispatched inspection teams well in advance to conduct careful inspections of relevant airports, and to negotiate with the local airports and governments about coordinative guarantees. In an effort to formulate a solid foundation for the Olympic Torch’s smooth chartered carrier transportation, airport taxi routes, plane monitoring, shuttle services for the crew, accommodations and security guards were established with a perfect preplan guarantee.

As the torch relay progressed, BOCOG temporarily adjusted the relay routes due to the devastating earthquake in Wenchuan, Sichuan Province. Faced with great difficulties, Air China staff always kept in mind the importance of the overall situation and undertook both tasks of the torch relay transport and disaster relief work exhibiting a true manifestation of their excellent professionalism. They operated every flight and guarantee task to high standards and strict requirements. They successfully completed their tasks with their finely tuned professional skills and thorough coordination and cooperation, especially during the trials of piloting the plateau airports and the earthquake and subsequent typhoon. Regarding the services, Air China framed plans meeting the strictest flight standards for their charter flights, highlighting the characteristic detail of their advanced services. By fully considering the personalities of each person involved in the torch relay, chong wine and “eight treasures in Tibet” were offered as a sample of seasonal regional delicacies. In addition, Wang Laoji and Tieh-Kuan-Yin were prepared in both warm and hot choices to suit weather conditions. To ensure security, the attendants, after completing tiresome flights and sometimes encountering altitude stress, vacuumed and cleaned the cabin with equipments prepared in advance to create a tidy and cozy environment for the team members. This was praised highly by the BOCOG and the team members involved in the torch relay.

Air China successfully delivered faultless flight safety, quality service, and a 100% punctuality rate.