Airport vows to reduce delays

Beijing Capital managers to help domestic carriers boost punctuality

Airport managers in Beijing have pledged to help Chinese airlines improve their on-time performance, which has become a major concern for travelers.

"We will optimize our timetable for arrivals and departures, strengthen coordination with airlines and air traffic management authorities and streamline ground operations," said Zhao Ying, general manager of Beijing Capital International Airport's operations center.

She said improving punctuality requires cooperation between the airport, carriers and civil aviation departments, so a better mechanism for sharing information should be a priority.

The airport plans to move some domestic flights to airports in neighboring cities such as Tianjin and Shijiazhuang to release more slots for international services, according to Li Chunfang, manager of the planning and development department.

"The North China Regional Administration of the Civil Aviation Administration of China has made a draft plan for the relocation, but it needs to negotiate with the airlines involved," said Li.

"This measure will help attract more international flights and reduce delays to both domestic and international services."

Beijing airport handles up to 88 flights in a peak hour, putting a heavy burden on its facilities, she added

The airport has performed well this year in ensuring flight punctuality as more than 80 percent of departures have left on time, Zhao said, describing this as a remarkable improvement compared with previous years.

The authorities have taken a host of measures to improve the poor on-time performance of Chinese airlines, which passengers say has become unbearable and has a great impact on their travel plans.

The civil aviation administration says airlines that have less than 50 percent on-time departures and rank in the lowest 20 in the on-time performance list for a particular route will be given a warning and ordered to take measures to improve the situation.

If two warnings are received in a month, the airline will lose its license for the route. In addition, if a flight is delayed by more than four hours, the carrier will lose the route.

However, bad weather in the summer and restrictions on the use of airspace, which is tightly controlled by the military, continue to affect flights, resulting in a succession of complaints from passengers.