Airlines in China are queuing up with the rest of the country’s companies for a ladleful of life-saving capital. Looks like now’s the time to see if this communism thing really works!

In addition to China’s already announced 4 trillion yuan ($586 billion) economic stimulus package, Air China and the other big Chinese airlines are seeking industry-specific government aid to cope with their losses. Even the mention of the bailout sent shares of China’s three biggest carriers soaring. According to Reuters, China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines were each likely to receive 3 billion yuan, or $439 million.

No word on whether the extra cash will prompt these carriers to trade in the rubbery meat they try to pass off as chicken, but we’re guessing, per usual, the passenger will be the last one to reap the benefits of any eventual government infusions of cash.

Related Stories:
· Chinese Airlines Look to Beijing for Help [Reuters, via IHT]
· China Travel coverage [Jaunted]

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With our Heathrow and JFK obsessions, the new Terminal 3 at Beijing Capital International almost slipped by us. But we're on the case now, with a gallery of renderings from the project's architects, Foster and Partners. The new building will start trial operations on February 29 and will be up to full speed by March 26.

Air China and other Star Alliance partners will anchor the operations out of T3. The building itself will be almost 2.5 miles long and include a train system for moving passengers between its 120 gates. Once on the ground, travelers will have easy access to the city via a rail link with the Beijing subway.

Related Stories:
· China and India Love the Idea of Airports [Jaunted]
· China Gets a New Tallest Building [Jaunted]
· Beijing Olympics coverage [Jaunted]]]> pbb 2008-02-13T15:00:01-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2007/8/27/14390/2991

Waiting for a deal on plane tickets to China for the 2008 Summer Olympics? Don't wait too long. One year away from the Games, the Chinese government announced plans to cut flights at its busiest airports, and it will not be registering any new airlines until 2010.

China's airspace situation sounds a lot like ours: Massive ground delays and a larger passenger load have made several airports--including Beijing, the world's ninth busiest--experience a dramatic drop in quality of service this year. Rather than redirect flights, the country's aviation authority is asking national carriers like China Southern and Air China to cut some 300 flights from their rosters. (International flights aren't affected... Yet.)

Better to address the problem head on than cover it up, we suppose.

Related Stories:
· China Reduces Flights [Yahoo]
· China Airlines Paints Over Name and Logo of Charred Plane [Jaunted]

[Photo: Stuart Photography]]]> egw 2007-08-27T16:00:01-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/