On April 2, Air China announced that it will launch a co-marketing program with PR Newswire Asia, the world's leading corporate information distribution service, to provide press release distribution services free of charge to the carrier's high-end business travelers.

According to the agreement signed between Air China and PR Newswire Asia, from April 1 to June 30, 2009, all Forbidden Pavilion First Class and Capital Pavilion Business Class passengers of Air China will be entitled to experience free North American or Mainland China press release distributions as well as corresponding complimentary online media monitoring services, as provided by PR Newswire Asia.

The collaboration is part of Air China's long-term commitment to providing personalized value-added services to its high-end business travelers, and is also an innovative marketing activity PR Newswire Asia initiated to continually drive Chinese enterprises in to going global, while helping them aggressively expand their brand presence at a time that both the Chinese and global economies are facing great challenges.

As the country's civil aviation leader, Air China is committed to providing passengers with first-class experiences by introducing world-leading technology and service models. The airline launched the Forbidden Pavilion First Class and Capital Pavilion Business Class, specifically designed for high-end business travelers, in 2005, and they have since received an enthusiastic response from worldwide travelers.

Air China selected PR Newswire Asia as its partner because it is the Asian division of PR Newswire, the world's oldest and largest business newswire service, and in recent years it has built a solid reputation in China's business and media sectors. The cooperation will offer business travelers a free opportunity to experience PR Newswire's highly recognized and trusted press release distribution services, helping customers drive their communications strategies into the global arena.

Statistics show that China's aviation sector posted international passenger numbers of more than 16 million in 2007, representing a faster increase than domestic passenger traffic. Of the 16 million passengers, more than 60 per cent were business travelers. The strong growth in the number of business travelers reflects the move by Chinese companies' to expand overseas and that of their foreign counterparts moving into the Chinese market.

The flow of information plays an important role in China's integration with the global economy, as well as the development of its companies, and as the winner of the "Chinese Enterprises Going Global" National Contribution Award, PR Newswire Asia has realized the value behind the flow of both people and information. PR Newswire Asia is therefore committed to helping its customers maximize the value of communications by importing world-class communications concepts and technologies while enhancing its advantage in terms of service localization.

Commenting on the cooperation with PR Newswire Asia, Air China's director of marketing said, "Air China has always been committed to becoming a leading airline worldwide with strong competitiveness and increasingly improved competence, offering unique and comfortable passenger experiences and enhanced shareholder value. We have launched a series of quality services in terms of pick-up and delivery, transit, airport guides, on-board dining, alcohol product offerings, as well as baggage claim services and frequent flyer miles to better serve the Forbidden Pavilion First Class and Capital Pavilion Business Class passengers. The new services provide passengers traveling between China and Europe and the US with unprecedented comfort and peace of mind, enabling them to work and live with vigor and energy even after a long-haul flight. The partnership with PR Newswire Asia is another attempt in our offering of personalized, value added services to high-end business passengers. We will launch more exclusive services for Forbidden Pavilion First Class and Capital Pavilion Business Class passengers in the future, providing them with a more convenient and comfortable travel experience."

John M. Williams, Senior Executive Vice President of PR Newswire Asia, said: "We are delighted to cooperate with an industry leader such as Air China and provide it with global press release distribution services, as we have done for the past two years, facilitating its communication with media agencies, the public and investors worldwide. This new cooperation is an extension of our existing relationship. PR Newswire Asia's fast development in China in recent years demonstrates urgent demand from Chinese firms for corporate news and brand information communications. We believe that with Air China's large business customer base and excellent services, we can provide quality services for more firms with such a demand and together with Air China bring Chinese brands onto the world stage."

Details of the co-marketing program are available on the websites of both PR Newswire Asia and Air China, and the relevant promotional materials for business travelers are available at Air China's designated ticket offices. For more information, please call +86-10-58645288/58645290.