China Eastern Airlines serves for CIIE

The China International Import Expo (CIIE), the world's large exhibition centered on imports, was officially inaugurated in Shanghai on Nov 5.

The expo is a unique initiative marking China's evolving high-level opening up and a crucial opportunity to comprehensively upgrade Shanghai's new capacities of opening up and its core competitiveness. 

One of the three major state-owned airlines in China, China Eastern Airlines has served for the CIIE and participated in the event as one of the CIIE Central SOE trade missions.

Service assurance for the expo

China Eastern Airlines introduced the latest B787-9 aircraft on September 22, adding to the city's aviation identity. The plane can better serve global passengers, with its brand-new cabin layout, the world's top passenger service system, and a cabin network with a maximum access speed of 200Mbps.

The SHA-based China Eastern Airlines service center, responsible for ground operations, launches the "Welcome to CIIE" swearing-in ceremony on October 26. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]

In addition to upgrading the aircraft facilities, the company is ready to demonstrate its safe operation, service flow, and English broadcasting capacity at the expo. 

Before the CIIE, two Hongqiao-based (Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, SHA) and Pudong-based (Shanghai Pudong International Airport, PVG) VIP rooms, TV sets in high-end passenger check-in areas of Hongqiao F Island, mobile clients, and self-service check-ins among other enhancements all encouraged the media to show a lightened welcoming atmosphere. 

During the expo, China Eastern Airlines' service robot "Dongdong" also appeared in the high-end check-in area of SHA to offer passengers information on flights and weather.

In addition, it set up an alliance transit service counter in the transit hall of Pudong Airport, with a transit pick-up team to meet foreign visitors to the expo. In terms of baggage, cargo and mail services, China Eastern Airlines' global baggage control center carried out full-process control of baggage to assure passengers that they may continue to check-in and board. On top of that, the Pudong S1 satellite terminal harbor apron also opened to public as a guaranteed official charter area and social business charter area.

China Eastern Airlines guarantees seamless entry of the star exhibit "Flying Cars". [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]

At the beginning of the 50-day countdown to the expo, the (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone Air Freight Service Center of China Eastern Airlines Logistics (EAL) was founded. The center offered logistics guarantees for the expo with faster entry clearance.

Currently, EAL has successfully completed the transportation service work of high-tech and valuable exhibits such as a Finnish biofore concept car, Czech masters' artifacts, Slovakian flying cars and 48 LOUIS VUITTON artifacts.

Apart from it, China Eastern Airlines also selected eight outstanding volunteers to participate in the volunteer works and offered 22 ceremonial staff including the forum host, 90 ceremonial personnel for the exhibition center, and 10 English-speaking guides for foreign dignitaries to showcase its brand image.

The trade mission of China Eastern Airlines shows commitment and innovation 

In addition to full-scale service assurance for the expo, China Eastern Airlines is also one of the CIIE Central SOE trade missions. 

The significance of the expo is considerable. In order to meet expectations, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC), in accordance with the CIIE's implementation programs, organized sourcing teams of central SOEs to enable on-site purchases. 

Sourcing teams of regional companies and institutions were organized respectively by the provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the central government and the planned cities as well as the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.

The trade mission, responded to the requirements of SASAC and other higher authorities, accordingly recompiled historical transaction data of all relevant import purchases of China Eastern Airlines from different periods (10, 5, 3, 2 years and 1 year). 

China Eastern Airlines sets up ticketing service counters in the expo hall. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]

Internally, a group of workers involved in import purchases, headed by the company's trade mission, was temporarily established, including China Eastern Airlines Import and Export Co, China Eastern Airlines Planning Department, China Eastern Airlines Technology Corporation, and China Eastern Airlines Technology Application R&D Center, to facilitate the project-based aggregation, alignment and reporting of all purchase data.

Externally, the trade mission took the lead in establishing an aviation alliance with Air China and China Southern Airlines trading group, laying a foundation for the unified channel of industry data.  

It is reported that more than 2,800 companies from more than 130 countries and regions participated in the exhibition. A total of 39 trading groups and 592 trading sub-groups have been set up across China, and over 150,000 professional purchasers will be invited to source. 

As one of the Shanghai-based central SOEs and one of the trade missions, China Eastern Airlines has contributed much to the expo.

(Executive editor: Hao Wen)