Shenzhen Airlines, the mainland's largest private carrier, yesterday announced in Hong Kong that it would install in-flight voice and data communication systems in all of its flights by mid-2009.

The airlines signed an agreement with OnAir, a joint venture between Airbus and the leading IT solutions provider SITA Inc, to kick off its ambitious plan.

The airlines will invest 13.5 million yuan to install the new systems in three demonstrator aircraft flying Shenzhen-Beijing and Shenzhen-Shanghai, two of its busiest routes, before the opening of Beijing Olympic Games in August 2008, said President Li Kun.

"Shenzhen Airlines will become the first airlines in China that could allow passengers to use their mobile phones to send and receive text messages, emails, and to make and receive mobile phone calls in-flight," Li told.

"It will provide great convenience to the travelers, especially business travelers. We hope the new service could attract more passengers," Li added.

The 14-year-old carrier, headquartered in Shenzhen, is expected to have a fleet of more than 70 aircraft, including Boeing and Airbus series aircraft, by the end of this year. By then, it will become the fifth largest airlines on the mainland.

The number of aircraft will further rise to 100 by the end of 2008 driven by its continuous expansion.

"We don't care much about the cost since our rising revenue could easily cover it," said Liu Jianping, vice-president of Shenzhen Airlines, when commenting on the additional 450 million yuan costs generated from the new investment.

The company forecast that the number of passengers would surpass 10 million and the revenue could record at least 10 billion yuan in 2007.

At the press conference Benoit Debains, CEO of OnAir, said it was a good opportunity for OnAir to enter the "significant and fasting growing aviation market of China".

"OnAir is now focusing on China, the world's largest mobile market, where the number of mobile phone users is expected to reach 415 million in 2007," said Debains.

(HK Edition 09/04/2007 page6)