Travel Boom Makes Air China Soar
From BBC News:
Air China has reported a 147% rise in quarterly profits, helped by a travel boom sparked by the rapid growth in the Chinese economy. The airline made net profits of 1.04bn yuan ($149m; £75m) in the first three months of 2008.
The strengthening yuan against the US dollar has also helped because the airlines pay for fuel and other expenses in dollars. Air China is expected to get a boost from people travelling to the Olympics.
In the lead-up to the Olympics, China has tightened restrictions on air travel. From Keralanext.com:
China will restrict most passengers from taking more than one piece of carry-on baggage on flights from May 1, the aviation regulator said on Friday, in the latest of a pre-Olympic security crack down.
Earlier this month, China added matches and lighters to a list of banned items on board domestic flights after what it said was plot to bring down a flight from the restive far western region of Xinjiang.
Origin: BBC News, BBC News
