Skyteam airlines partner with BCIA

Skyteam, one of the world's three largest airline company alliances, signed a cooperation agreement with Beijing Capital International Airport on June 10.

The move is to enhance cooperation between the airport and the alliance in bidding for more favorable policies, expanding airlines, and improving services in the hope of giving Skyteam passengers better experience during their flight transfer stay in the capital airport.

"The agreement, signed under the joint efforts from Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, will provide better airport experiences for passengers. It will further back Skyteam's position as the biggest airline alliance in China," said Michael Wisbrun, general manager of Skyteam.

Skyteam's 16 members worldwide include domestic operators China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines.

"Having close cooperation with the airports we serve is the key for Skyteam to detect problems, find solutions and seize new opportunities worldwide," he said.

The agreement is the third of its kind that Skyteam signed with airports in China. Previously it signed similar agreements with Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport and Shanghai Pudong International Airport.

As a prelude to the cooperation, the capital airport launched several exclusive services for first class and business class cabin passengers as well as other VIPs this March.

The services include priority check-in and transfer, priority boarding and priority luggage claim.

Skyteam has established such services in 500 world airports.

The airline alliance already built more than 50 check-in counters, several self-service check-in counters and exclusive VIP counters in the capital airport in December 2011.

Besides, Skyteam is expected to build a new lounge under its logo with China Southern Airlines in the capital airport, to exclusively service its VIP clients, as well as first and business class passengers.

Statistics show that every year there are about 140 million Skyteam member passengers who board flights in Beijing.

On a daily basis, there are over 38,000 passengers taking 230 flights operated by Skyteam to 93 destinations around the world. Ten of Skyteam's 16 member airline companies have operations in Beijing.

"We believe that this agreement of cooperation will have great significance for the development of Skyteam, airline companies and the capital airport," said Dong Zhiyi, general manager of Capital Airports Holding Company and president of Beijing Capital International Airport Co.

"The move indicates that the capital airport will have broader opportunities to strengthen its position as one of the world's top airports," he added.

xuxiao@chinadaily.com.cn