Five Chinese airlines lowered ticket prices on the Shanghai-Beijing route by offering up to a 60 percent discount after they launched an express air service on Monday, the Oriental Morning Post reported today.

A customer service operator at China Eastern Airlines said passengers can buy tickets at a 60 percent discount if they leave for Beijing on the evening of August 24, the report said.

Air China also promoted a 55-percent discount for tickets for the morning flight on August 16, the report said.

However, the airlines didn't provide a lot of lower-priced tickets, the report said.

When the five carriers -- Air China, China Eastern, China Southern, Hainan Airlines, and Shanghai Airlines – began the express air service, most tickets were sold at the full price of 1,130 yuan (US$149).

The Civil Aviation Administration of China initiated the express service.

A total of 36 express flights were put into operation by the carriers, taking off almost every half hour between Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport and Beijing Capital International Airport.

The service includes dedicated express check-in, security check, boarding gates and baggage claims at the two airports.

Passengers will be allowed for the first time to transfer to aircraft operated by one of the four other airlines.

According to the CAAC plan, the service will run as a trial operation until October 27. The winter and spring will be "the improvement stage," and the summer and autumn of next year will be "the promotion and expansion phase."

Link: Beijing Flight

(Shanghai Daily August 10, 2007)