FLIGHT TRANSPORTATION LABORATORY DEPARTMENT OF AERONAUTICS AND ASTRONAUTICS MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY FTL R75-3 February 1975 A COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF AIR TRANSPORTATION IN MAINLAND CHINA by KOON-HO JOSEPH TAM -2- ABSTRACT This study attempts to obtain an overall picture of air transportation in Mainland Chima, domestic and international, past and present, so as to lay the ground for further studies. A brief history of early aviation development in China is described from limited available sources: the first sign of aviation in 1919, the starting of commercial aviation in 1929, general development under the Nationalists before 1949, and the establishment and growth of CAAC under the Communists. Then, the present situations of airline operations, CAAC and foreign, are discussed. As for domestic operations, flight schedules and timetables, a complete route map showing the important air hubs in the network, the direct service networks and summaries of the connections, fares, frequencies, non-stop distances etc. of 22 major cities are detailed to give a general view of CAAC's scheduled services. Internationally, an account of all foreign airlines serving China, their schedules and timetables, summaries of their present operations are tabulated. Next, CAAC's fares and rate structure, aircraft equipments and a comparison of CAAC with other airlines are touched upon. A brief description of airports and navigation aids in China is in- cluded. Maps are drawn showing their locations. Finally, the development of China's aviation relationships with her foreign partners is presented. Major partners like the U.S.S.R., Pakistan, France, Ethiopia and Japan are discussed in details. - 3 - ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My thanks first go to Professor Robert W. Simpson, my thesis super- visor, for his invaluable guidance and suggestions all along the prepa- ration of this thesis. Next, my thanks go to my other teachers at the Flight Transportation Laboratory: Prof. Joseph Vittek for his stimulating lectures on the fundamentals of air laws, Prof. John Wiley for his in- depth and well organized courses on airport planning, management and operations, Prof. Nawal Taneja for his teachings on air transportation economics and airline managements, Prof. Amedeo Odoni and Prof. Walter Hollister for their introduction of air traffic control technology. So many people helped with this effort that it is difficult to thank them all. All have my appreciation. Particular appreciation goes to Prof. Secor Browne for analysing the present situations in China's aviation and also for digging up many leads that proved to be extremely helpful in this work. Moreover, the assistance and contributions from the following people were also greatly appreciated: Mr. George Sarames, Department Manager, Commercial Transportation Research, Lockheed California Company. Mr. A. Ersin, Airline Systems Analysis, Commercial Transportation Research, Lockheed California Company. Mr. Richard A. Michelson, Assistant Director, Sales Technology, Boeing Commercial Aircraft Company. Hon. Elizabeth C. Dillon, U.S. Representative, International Civil Aviation Organization. Mr. Terai Hisayoshi, Director, Civil Aviation Bureau, Japanese Ministry of Transport. Mr. Pierre D. Cot, Director General, Air France. - 4 - Mr. R. R. Goodison, Deputy Chairman, British Civil Aviation Authority. Mr. P. W. Reed, Head of Economics Branch, British Civil Aviation Authority. Mr. Pierre Lecointe, Director General, Aerospatiale. Mr. Frank McDermott, Bureau of International Affairs, Civil Aeronautics Board. Mr. Edwin Rector, Director, Bureau of International Affairs, Civil Aeronautics Board. Additional thanks go to my friends at Cambridge who helped me with this thesis. I am particularly grateful to Mr. Wing Hon Lee for his translation of some materials from French into English, Mr. Kevin Tong for his beautiful inking of all the figures appeared in this thesis, and Ms. Anne Jones for performing an excellent typing task. Finally, my deepest gratitude to my fiancee, Jing, for her patience and help without which this work would be impossible. - 5 - TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page 1 AN INTRODUCTION ... ..... .... ..... ... 17 2 BACKGROUND OF THE COUNTRY .. .... ..... .... 20 2.1 Geographical Background. ... ... .... ... 20 2.1.1 General ..... ... .. ..... ... 20 2.1.2 Harbors ... ..... ...... .... 26 2.1.3 Rivers and Canals ... o.... .. .. .. 27 2.1.4 Mountains . ... .... ... ... ... 29 2.2 Population Distribution. ...o.. .... 31 2.3 Railways .. .. .... .... .... ... 34 2.4 Roads ... .. o .. .... .... .... ... 36 2.5 Tourism. ... ... .... ... ... .... 37 2.5.1 Basic Attitudes .... ... ... ... 37 2.5.2 Tourist Infrastructure .... ... ... 37 2.5.3 Domestic Travel . .. ... .. o... .... 39 3 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT BEFORE 1949 ... .. ... .. 40 3.1 China Finds Wings (1919-1928). .. .. .. .. 40 3.2 Developments of Commercial Airlines under the Nationalist Regime ..... .... .. ... 41 3.2.1 The China National Aviation Corporation . 44 A. Formation of the Airline. ....... 44 B. Fleet Structure . ..o.. .. 45 C. History of Operations (1929-1945) . 45 D. The Civil War Period (1945-1949). .. 48 E. Some Operational Data of CNAC . .. .. 49 3.2.2 Central Air Transport Corporation . .... 56 A. Eurasia Aviation Corporation .. .. 56 B. Establishing of CATC. ... ... .. 56 C. Initial Operations ... ... ... 57 D. Schedules of CATC in 1947 ....... 59 3.2.3 Sino-Soviet Aviation Corporation (Hamiata). 61 3.2.4 Civil Air Transport Incorporated. ... .. 62 A. Formation of the Airline .. ... .. o. 62 B. Fleet Structure . ... .o.... 62 - 6 - TABLE OF CONTENTS (Cont.) Chapter Page C. Personnel .. .. .. .. .. .. 63 D. Marketing and Financing .. .. .. 63 E. Developments from 1947 to 1949. .. .. 63 F. Retreat to Taiwan (1949). .. .. .. 65 3.2.5 Other Airlines. .. .. .. .. .. .. 67 3.3 Regulations of Air Transportation. .. .. .. 68 3.3.1 Government Structures .. .. .. .. .. 68 A. The Executive Yuan . .. o . 68 B. The Legislative Yuan. .. .. .. .. 69 C. The Judicial Yuan . ... .. -. 70 D. The Examination Yuan. .. .. .. 70 E. The Control Yuan. .. .. -70 3.3.2 Establishment of the Chinese Civil Aeronautics Administration. .. .. .. 71 3.3.3 Establishment of Aviation Laws. .. .. .. 72 3.3.4 Rocky Road. .. .. .. .. ... 74 3.4 International Air Agreements .. .. .. ... .. 77 3.4.1 Air Agreement with the United States (1946) . 78 3.4.2 Air Agreement with Great Britain. .. .. 81 3.4.3 Air Agreements with the Netherlands .. 82 4. EARLY EFFORTS IN AVIATION DEVELOPMENTS UNDER THE COMMUNISTS .. o . .. .. ... .. 83 4.1 The Early Days (1949). .. o.... .. .. 83 4.2 The Early Years (1949-1954). .. .. .. 85 4.2.1 The China Civil Aviation Corporation (CAAC) . 86 4.2.2 SKOGA.. .. .. .. - 88 A. Establishement (1950) . .. ... 88 B. The Initial Fleet . ... .. .. .. 89 C. New Routes (See Figure 4-1) . .. o.... 89 D. Operations. .. .. - 90 4.2.3 General Situations of Civil Aviation. 91 4.3 Establishment of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) . 93 4.3.1 Organization of CAAC .. o . .. 95 - 7 - TABLE OF CONTENTS (Cont.) Chapter Page 4.3.2 The Role of CAAC. ... ... ... ... .. 98 A. As a Government Administration Ministry ......... 98 B. As an Airport Operator ..... ... * . 98 C. As an Airline Mangement .. ....... 98 D. As a Training Institute ..... .... 99 E. As a Foreign Relations Department ... 99 F. As a Supporter to Other Government Sectors. .... .... 99 4.3.3 As Time Goes By ... .... .... .... 101 5 PRESENT SITUATIONS OF AIRLINE OPERATIONS IN CHINA .. .. 104 5.1 An Overview. ... ... ... ... ... .. ... 104 5.1.1 Background: A Quarter-Century of Growth . .. 104 5.1.2 Regional Aviation ...... ........ 106 5.1.3 National Aviation Planning. .. .... ... 106 5.1.4 Entering World Aviation ... ........ 109 5.2 Network Routings and Schedules . ...... .... 111 5.2.1 Domestic Services .... .... .... .. 111 A. CAAC Domestic Flight Schedule ...... 116 B. Domestic Timetables .. .... ..... 119 C. Summary of Domestic Services in 22 Major cities ..... .... .... 124 5.2.2 International Services. ........... 171 A. International Flight Schedules. ..... 174 B. Recent Developments .. ... .. ... 178 1) China-Pakistan. ........ ... 178 2) China-U.S.S.R.. .. .... .... 178 3) China-Burma .... ... .... .. 181 4) China-North Korea .......... 181 5) China-North Vietnam . ...... 184 6) China-Japan ..... ......o.. 184 7) China-Ethiopia ........... o 187 8) China-France. ............ 187 9) China-Romania ............ 187 10) China-Iran ... ....... o ... 191 5.3 Domestic Fares and Rates .............. 193 - 8 - TABLE OF CONTENTS (Cont.) Chapter Page 5.3.1 The Two-Tire System .. ... .. .. ... 193 5.3.2 Comparison Between the Two Rates. .. .. .. 194 5.3.3 Rate Structure. .. .. .. .. .. .. 196 5.3.4 The One Class System. ... ... ... ... 198 5.4 CAAC Airline Operations. .. ... ... .. ... 200 5.4.1 Reservations and Cancellations. .. ... 200 5.4.2 Baggage Allowance . .. ... ... ... .. 200 5.4.3 Cabin Services. ... ... .. ... ... 201 5.4.4 Inflight Regulations. ... .... ... .. 202 5.4.5 Some Traffic Data of CAAC .. .. ... ... 202 5.4.6 Maintenance .. ... ... .... ... .. 204 5.4.7 Training of Personnel.. .. .. .. .. 205 5.5 Aircraft Equipment of CAAC .. .. .. .. .. .. 206 5.5.1 In the Early Years. ... ... ... ... 206 5.5.2 CAAC Equipment of the Present Day .... 208 5.6 Comparison of CAAC with other Airlines . .. .. .. 211 6 AIRPORTS AND AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL FACILITIES . .. .. .. 214 6.1 Early Developments of Airports .. .. 214 6.2 Present Situations of Airports .. .. 222 6.2.1 Shanghai Hung-Chiao