Air China offers Transit Tourism Services, discount tours, free dinning to Pak passengers

BEIJING: Air China, the country's largest carrier has decided to provide Transit Tourism Services including discount tours and free dining coupons to Pakistani passengers passing through Chengdu, the capital city of southwest China's Sichuan province.

The Air China, according to an announcement has launched its first transit tourism services for international travelers, giving those with time to kill transiting through Chengdu Shuangliu Airport, a chance to experience a fascinating part of China.

The flight transit services will initially be available on international routes between China and Karachi from December 23 to March 31, 2011.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's Ambassador to China Masood Khan while talking to APP said that as both Pakistan and China set to celebrate 2011 as year of friendship, the step taken by Air China will help promote friendship as well as tourism.

He said that the Consulate General of Pakistan at Chengdu will provide all assistance to the Pakistani passengers staying in Chengdu or intend to visit tourists destinations there.

The Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries are home to 30% of the species remaining world population and is the prime location to catch the giant pandas in their natural habitat. Made up of 7 Nature Reserves and 9 Scenic Parks, this habitat is not only known for the preservation of the endangered giant pandas, but it also serves to protect many other species such as the snow leopard, red pandas, and clouded leopards. Spanning over 9245 km, the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries is the largest remaining contiguous habitat for the giant panda bear.

The most popular parks to see the giant pandas within the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries is in the Wolong Panda Reserve, located in Wenchuan County.

The Chengdu Panda Research Base is located about 7 miles north of downtown Chengdu is another great place to get familiar with giant pandas through with an explanatory museum, hospital, and information center.

Founded in 1987, the Chengdu Panda Research Base has grown from its founding 6 pandas to 83 pandas, and participate in variety of knowledge sharing and enhancing practices.

The airlines, Chengdu transit services provide passengers with a range of useful tourist services, making an important step in the development of Air China's Chengdu hub strategy and of Chengdu as a tourist destination.

"Passengers can enjoy numerous benefits including tourist information, advice on cultural experiences and discounts on tailored city tours, as well as free dining coupons and airport resting areas", the said announcement.

Passengers flying from Karachi to Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport or the return flight and will transit to other cities within 48 hours can take advantage of the service.

Air China is country's only national flag carrier and a Star Alliance member. With a fleet of over 280 Airbus and Boeing aircraft, Air China's 264 routes serve 29 countries and regions.

With the admission to the Star Alliance, Air China's route network, with Beijing as its hub, includes 1,160 destinations in 181 countries.

The airlines has now over 14 million members in its frequent flyers programme.