Song Zhiyong greets the on-duty personnel at the airport operations center (AOC).

“Well done to your hard work. Wish you all a happy Chinese New Year.” First visiting the airport operations center (AOC), Song Zhiyong learned in detail the operational statistics and the support of flights during the Spring Festival travel rush, looked at the airport real-time CCTV through the display screen, and sent new year’s greetings to on-duty personnel. Song Zhiyong said, as there would be more practices for one city to have two airports and that one airlines shall operate at different terminals within one airport, active exploration would be needed to enhance safety management and improve operation with an aim to better achieve high-quality development under conditions of economies of scale.

Song Zhiyong greets Airport Representatives.

Song Zhiyong greets on-duty police officers at BCIA.

Song Zhiyong greets security screeners.

It is of great importance to provide safe, reliable, healthy, comfortable, efficient and high-quality air transport service to passengers during the Spring Festival travel rush. At Terminal 2, Song Zhiyong learned about passenger services such as serving first-time flyers, checked the application of screening technologies in passenger and baggage security screening, and expressed his appreciation to Airport Representatives, on-duty police officers and security screeners for their dedicated efforts to ensure safe and convenient traveling experience for passengers.

Group photo of Song Zhiyong and Air China crew members

Song Zhiyong greets ground personnel of Sichuan Airlines.

At the airfield, Song Zhiyong greeted successively the air and ground handling crews operating flights CA1911 of Air China and 3U3111 of Sichuan Airlines, where the flight of Sichuan Airlines was operated by the “China Civil Aviation Hero Crew”. Walking into the cabin, Song Zhiyong kindly chatted with the captain about his flight experience and asked the cabin crew about the passenger load factor, sent flowers to the crew and took a group photo. Song Zhiyong stated, safety is the lifeline of civil aviation industry, and thus we must ensure the absolute safety of flight operation and people’s lives by firmly taking relevant measures in each single flight and every single link. The crew members solemnly promised that they would protect the safety of passengers from takeoff to landing in each and every flight to the best of their efforts.

Song Zhiyong greets front-line workers at AMECO North China Line Center.

Maintenance has a key role to play in safeguarding civil aviation safety. At the Air China A380 hangar, Song Zhilong learned from front-line staff at AMECO North China Line Center about the work of aircraft maintenance, expressed his appreciation to the hard work of the staff in the past year and sent his greetings. In his remarks, he hoped that everyone would hold firm to the philosophy of safe development and make continued efforts to ensure safety in the coming year.

Song Zhiyong greets on-duty personnel at the West ATC Tower of North China ATMB.

At the West ATC Tower of North China ATMB, Song Zhiyong learned about the support for flight operation during the Spring Festival travel rush, and sent New Year’s greetings to on-duty air traffic controllers. He said that safety is the precondition and foundation for development, and that greater efforts should be made in nurturing air traffic control talents, enhancing information system and data governance to ensure safety in all aspects.

Song Zhiyong said that, in the coming year, the whole industry must seriously follow the guidelines of General Secretary Xi Jinping on civil aviation in his important instructions and directions, especially those on civil aviation safety, thoroughly implement the spirit of 20th National Congress of CPC and central economic work conference, firmly follow the philosophy of safe development, always take safety as the top priority, and uphold the ideas of people first and life first. 2024 is also a critical year for transitioning from recovery to quantitative and qualitative improvement. Therefore, on top of ensuring safety with full efforts, the whole industry should improve operational efficiency, enhance service quality and promote technological innovation to serve the building of a strong transport nation and national rejuvenation with pragmatic achievements of civil aviation high quality development.

Song Zhiyong greets on-duty airport armed police.

Song Zhiyong also greeted BCIA ground handling personnel and on-duty airport armed police, extended his appreciation for their dedicated efforts when others enjoyed family reunions, and wished everyone good health, smooth work and all the best. The staff were so inspired and said that they would continue to earnestly perform their duties, and thus facilitate the high quality development of civil aviation through concrete actions, contributing more to the new chapter of civil aviation in the building of a strong transport nation.