China Eastern Airlines will boost its frequency from Shanghai with 22 routes after its merger with Shanghai Airlines, a senior executive said yesterday.

Eight of the routes will operate with more than 10 flights a day and the other 14 routes will feature six to 10 flights daily, Ma Xulun, general manager of China Eastern, told Shanghai Daily yesterday on the sideline of a press conference in Shanghai.

He said the carrier will raise the frequency between Shanghai and Beijing to one flight every half hour after the merger, compared with the existing one flight per hour.

Analysts believe the merger will boost China Eastern's capacity by at least one-third.

The board of directors of the two Shanghai-based carriers have approved the takeover plan although the deal is still pending the green light from shareholders and state regulators.

China Eastern, which flew into the black in the first half of the year on gains from its fuel-hedging contracts, will operate a fleet of 330 aircraft after it merged with its smaller rival.

(Shanghai Daily August 21, 2009)