Air China has begun to resume those flights that had been canceled
because of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak.
With the outbreak largely under control and traveling picking up
again, Beijing Capital Airport serviced 119 flights and 12,000
passengers on June 3.
On
May 8, when SARS was at its peak, flight numbers reduced to 45, and
passengers to 2,055 only.
Based in Beijing, Air China normally has 280 flights coming in and
out of the capital airport on average every day, with passengers
amounting to about 45,000.
Currently, flight and passenger volumes are down 42 percent and 26
percent respectively on the average.
In
the past two months, Air China has taken more care in maintaining
and checking aircraft, and was also disinfecting aircraft
regularly.
Air China also promoted free SARS insurance policies for
passengers.
Domestic flights have been resumed faster than international
flights, and as SARS continues to wane, air traffic will gradually
return to normal, said an Air China spokesperson.
(Xinhua News Agency June 4, 2003)