ANNOUNCEMENT ON KEY OPERATING DATA OF MARCH 2026

Summary by AI BETAClose X

Air China Limited reported strong March 2026 operating data, with combined passenger capacity increasing by 10.7% and passenger traffic by 19.9% year-on-year, driven by significant growth in international routes. The passenger load factor rose to 86.3%, an increase of 6.6 percentage points. Cargo capacity saw a 4.1% year-on-year increase, though cargo traffic decreased by 2.9%, resulting in a cargo load factor of 35.4%. The company also added several new routes and introduced one C919 aircraft while retiring a B737 series aircraft, bringing its fleet to 960 aircraft by the end of March.

Disclaimer*

Air China Ld
16 April 2026
 

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited and The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited take no responsibility for the contents of this announcement, make no representation as to its accuracy or completeness and expressly disclaim any liability whatsoever for any loss howsoever arising from or in reliance upon the whole or any part of the contents of this announcement.

 

中國國際航空股份有限公司

AIR CHINA LIMITED

(a joint stock limited company incorporated in the People's Republic of China with limited liability)

(Stock Code: 00753)

 

ANNOUNCEMENT ON KEY OPERATING DATA OF MARCH 2026

 

The enclosed announcement (the "SSE Announcement") was published by Air China Limited ("Air China") on the Shanghai Stock Exchange on 15 April 2026, which contains combined operating data for March 2026 for Air China and its subsidiaries (collectively, the "Group"). This announcement enclosing the SSE Announcement is made by Air China pursuant to Rules 13.09 and 13.10B of the Rules Governing the Listing of Securities on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the "Listing Rules") and the Inside Information Provisions (as defined in the Listing Rules) under Part XIVA of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Chapter 571 of the Laws of Hong Kong).

 

The data in the enclosed SSE Announcement was calculated based on the internal statistics of the Group, which may differ from the data disclosed in the relative periodic reports. Investors are hereby reminded of the risks which may result from inappropriate reliance upon or utilization of the information given above.

 

By Order of the Board
Air China Limited
Xiao Feng

Company Secretary

Beijing, the PRC, 15 April 2026

 

As at the date of this announcement, the directors of the Company are Mr. Liu Tiexiang, Mr. Qu Guangji, Mr. Cui Xiaofeng, Mr. Patrick Healy, Mr. Xiao Peng, Mr. Xu Niansha*, Mr. He Yun*, Ms. Winnie Tam Wan-chi* and Mr. Gao Chunlei*.

 

*        Independent non-executive director of the Company

 



 

SSE ANNOUNCEMENT

 

The SSE Announcement is written in Chinese, with no official English translation. The English translation is provided solely for reference only. In case of any discrepancy between the two versions, the Chinese version shall prevail. The full version of the SSE Announcement is as follows:

 

AIR CHINA LIMITED

ANNOUNCEMENT ON KEY OPERATING DATA OF MARCH 2026

 

In March 2026, Air China Limited (the "Company") and its subsidiaries (the "Group") recorded a year-on-year increase in combined passenger capacity (measured by available seat kilometers (the "ASK")) and combined passenger traffic (measured by revenue passenger kilometers (the "RPK")), respectively. Passenger capacity recorded a year-on-year increase of 10.7%, and passenger traffic recorded a year-on-year increase of 19.9%. Among which, for domestic routes, passenger capacity increased by 11.7% year on year, and passenger traffic increased by 16.9% year on year. For international routes, passenger capacity increased by 8.5% year on year, and passenger traffic increased by 27.6% year on year. For regional routes, passenger capacity increased by 10.7% year on year, and passenger traffic recorded an increase of 19.8% year on year. The passenger load factor was 86.3%, representing an increase of 6.6 percentage points as compared to the same period last year. Among which, the passenger load factor for domestic routes increased by 3.8 percentage points year on year, the passenger load factor for international routes increased by 13.3 percentage points year on year, and the passenger load factor for regional routes increased by 5.9 percentage points year on year.

 

In terms of cargo operations, cargo capacity (measured by available freight tonne kilometers (the "AFTK")) increased by 4.1% year on year. Cargo and mail traffic (measured by revenue freight tonne kilometers (the "RFTK")) decreased by 2.9% year on year. The cargo load factor was 35.4%, representing a year-on-year decrease of 2.6 percentage points.

 

Starting from 24 March 2026, the Company added the Beijing Capital - Brussels route (seven flights a week). Starting from 26 March 2026, the Company added the Chengdu Tianfu - Brussels route (three flights a week). Starting from 29 March 2026, the Company added the Beijing Capital - Yulin route (seven flights a week), the Beijing Capital - Jiaxing route (seven flights a week), the Wenzhou - Zhanjiang route (three flights a week) and the Hohhot - Yichang route (seven flights a week). Starting from 30 March 2026, the Company resumed the Beijing Capital - Pyongyang route (one flight a week). Starting from 31 March 2026, the Company added the Shanghai Pudong - Lijiang route (three flights a week).

 

In March 2026, the Group introduced one C919 aircraft and retired one B737 series aircraft. At the end of March 2026, the Group operated a fleet of 960 aircraft, including 423 self-owned aircraft, 252 aircraft under finance lease and 285 aircraft under operating lease.

 



 

The following table sets forth key operating data of March 2026:

 


March 2026

Year-on-Year Change (%)1

Month-on-Month Change (%)1

Cumulative 2026

Year-on-Year Cumulative Change (%)1

I. Capacity






1.  ATK (in million)2

3,995.2

8.8

-2.6

12,060.4

6.4

Domestic

2,557.5

10.0

-4.0

7,680.1

6.0

International

1,331.5

6.4

0.5

4,053.2

6.9

Regional

106.2

11.0

-5.4

327.2

9.5

2.  ASK (in million)3

31,820.6

10.7

-1.3

95,172.1

7.6

Domestic

21,975.9

11.7

-2.1

65,297.8

7.4

International

8,954.1

8.5

0.9

27,138.2

7.7

Regional

890.6

10.7

-5.1

2,736.1

10.9

3.  AFTK (in million)4

1,126.7

4.1

-5.6

3,480.3

3.6

Domestic

580.5

4.8

-10.0

1,804.6

1.7

International

523.9

3.1

-0.3

1,606.4

5.8

Regional

22.3

12.1

-5.2

69.3

4.6

II.  Traffic






1.  RTK (in million)5

2,841.5

15.8

2.4

8,280.8

12.6

Domestic

1,803.0

15.1

-0.2

5,289.4

11.2

International

968.6

17.0

8.2

2,781.2

15.1

Regional

69.9

18.8

-3.7

210.2

17.2

2.  RPK (in million)6

27,457.4

19.9

-0.8

80,715.6

13.7

Domestic

18,798.9

16.9

-4.1

55,915.3

12.0

International

7,965.3

27.6

8.4

22,693.3

17.8

Regional

693.2

19.8

-6.7

2,107.1

18.4

3.  RFTK (in million)7

399.2

-2.9

3.2

1,198.7

6.6

Domestic

132.8

-0.9

2.4

402.0

3.0

International

260.9

-4.1

3.2

781.1

8.4

Regional

5.6

12.7

29.7

15.7

10.1

4.  Number of Passengers Carried
(in thousand)

14,309.3

15.1

-1.3

42,085.2

10.4

Domestic

12,138.0

14.1

-2.4

35,828.1

10.0

International

1,717.4

21.1

8.3

4,913.8

11.7

Regional

453.9

20.7

-3.8

1,343.3

18.0

5.  Total Cargo and Mail Carried
(in tonnes)

120,911.0

-2.0

4.1

362,995.4

4.3

Domestic

79,792.5

-0.8

3.3

240,252.6

2.7

International

37,569.1

-5.4

4.0

112,605.9

7.3

Regional

3,549.4

8.9

29.4

10,136.9

8.5

III. Load Factors






1.  Passenger Load Factor (%)8

86.3

6.6

0.4

84.8

4.6

Domestic

85.5

3.8

-1.8

85.6

3.5

International

89.0

13.3

6.1

83.6

7.2

Regional

77.8

5.9

-1.3

77.0

4.9

2.  Cargo and Mail Load Factor (%)9

35.4

-2.6

3.0

34.4

1.0

Domestic

22.9

-1.3

2.8

22.3

0.3

International

49.8

-3.8

1.7

48.6

1.2

Regional

24.9

0.1

6.7

22.6

1.1

3.  Overall Load Factor (%)10

71.1

4.3

3.5

68.7

3.8

Domestic

70.5

3.1

2.7

68.9

3.2

International

72.7

6.6

5.2

68.6

4.9

Regional

65.8

4.3

1.2

64.3

4.3

 



 

Notes:

 

1.       Change is expressed in percentage in terms of "Capacity" and "Traffic", and is expressed in percentage points in terms of "Load Factor"

 

2.       "ATK(s)" refers to the number of tonnes of capacity available for transportation multiplied by the kilometers flown

 

3.       "ASK(s)" refers to the number of seats available for sale multiplied by the kilometers flown

 

4.       "AFTK(s)" refers to the number of tonnes of capacity available for the carriage of cargo and mail multiplied by the kilometers flown

 

5.       "RTK(s)" refers to the revenue load (passenger and cargo) in tonnes multiplied by the kilometers flown

 

6.       "RPK(s)" refers to the number of revenue passengers carried multiplied by the kilometers flown

 

7.       "RFTK(s)" refers to the revenue cargo and mail load in tonnes multiplied by the kilometers flown

 

8.       "Passenger Load Factor" refers to revenue passenger kilometers expressed as a percentage of available seat kilometers

 

9.       "Cargo and Mail Load Factor" refers to revenue freight tonne kilometers expressed as a percentage of available freight tonne kilometers

 

10.     "Overall Load Factor" refers to RTKs expressed as a percentage of available tonne kilometers

 

The key operating data above was calculated based on the internal statistics of the Group, which may differ from the data disclosed in the relative periodic reports. Investors are hereby reminded of the risks which may result from inappropriate reliance upon or utilization of the information given above.

 

Board of Directors of Air China Limited
Beijing, the PRC, 15 April 2026

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