China Eastern Airlines is one of the three major airlines in China and is headquartered in Shanghai. It has established an extensive air transportation network within China and to destinations around the world. While safety and reputation are top priorities, China Eastern also focuses on social responsibility through initiatives like low-carbon flying. However, some passengers complain about issues like narrow seats and limited legroom. Overall, China Eastern aims to be a socially responsible company that provides quality air transportation services.

1. Corporate Communication and Reputation Audit
Corporate Communication and Reputation Audit
There are three major airlines in china, Air China; China Southern Airline; China Eastern
Airline.
China Eastern Airlines Corporation Limited is at the core of China Eastern Air Holding
Company. Its predecessor is China Eastern Airlines, which was founded in June 1988. Listed
on the Hong Kong, New York and Shanghai stock exchanges in 1997, China Eastern Airlines
became the first listed company in Chinese civil aviation industry. China Eastern has
established an air
transportation
network linking all
corners of the world
with Shanghai.
China Eastern Air
Holding Company,
headquartered in
Shanghai, is one of
the three largest
major air transport
companies in China. The scope of business includes public air transportation, general aviation
and air transport operations and the production and sale of related products, aviation equipment
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2. Corporate Communication and Reputation Audit
and equipment maintenance, passenger air transport, freight services and ground handling,
aircraft leasing, and aviation training and consulting services.
“In January 2010, China Eastern Air Holding Company possessed assets worth a total of
about RMB 108.5 billion Yuan, owned more than 330 large and medium-sized and 18 general
aviation aircraft,
provided air
service to 151
destinations, and
had over 60,000
employees.”
(2011)
Currently,
China Eastern
Air Holding
Company is the
parent company
of 21
subsidiaries. Thus, after years of optimizing and integrating resources, forming an air
transportation network offering services that include aviation food services, import and export,
financial futures, mass media advertising, ticket sales and airport investment.
As one of the three major airlines in China, it operates 50 overseas offices and 11 domestic
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3. Corporate Communication and Reputation Audit
branches. As an official member of Sky Team, China Eastern has extended its flight network
from Shanghai to 983 cities in 178 countries via close cooperation with Sky Team member
airlines. Flying a fleet of more than 400 long haul and short-haul aircrafts with an average age
of less than seven years, China Eastern serves nearly 70 million travelers annually and ranks
among the world’s top 5 airlines in terms of passenger transportation volume. Mission and
value are very important to company. China eastern airline’s mission and value is to be a
“cherished by staff, preferred by customers, satisfactory to shareholders and trusted by society”
company.The most important thing for airline is safety. China eastern airline is no exception.
On one hand, China Eastern Airline always adheres to high standards. And they have not
accidents in past 8 years. When I worked in China Eastern Airline, I could see many slogans
about safety.
On the otherhand, the reputation is also important for airline. China Eastern Airlines joined
the Sky Team on 21 June 2011, to become the 14th member. The decision could improve the
international profile of China Eastern Airline. And also they care about every passenger’s
requirement. For example, in their system, they have a lot of records about whose need special
service. When the passenger book the ticket, they will ask them whether they need special
service, like wheelchair service, vegetarian food and etc. In 2010, China Eastern Airline
officially opened the micro-blog (twitter). And in 2008 they join the Facebook. That
communication platform helps them to know that passenger’s feeling. They not only focus on
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4. Corporate Communication and Reputation Audit
safety and reputation but also they attach great importance on social responsibility.
The sustainable development of an enterprise is interdependent with and closely related to
the sustainable development of the society. China eastern airline has always placed great
importance on technical innovation and application and actively explores new technologies,
models and areas in civil aviation to comply with the environmental protection policy and
energy saving and emission reduction requirements of the PRC. Adhering to the idea of dual
focus on both energy conservation and development and mutual coordination between
development and saving, they advocate the idea of low-carbon flying, energy consumption
reduction, conservation of the environment and create a friendly community and establish a
resource conservative and environmentally friendly enterprise. With the target of lowering
resources and energy consumption, China eastern airline advocates the concept of “low-carbon
flying”. They seek to initiate an operational mode of “Consuming and emitting less but
performing more efficiently” to foster organic and efficiency-oriented growth. Jet fuel
consumption accounted for more than 98% of the energy consumption of the China eastern
airline. More than 90% of the Company’s flights undergo refueling and flying in accordance
with the “low-carbon flying” scheme. “Low-carbon flying” is implemented via standardized
and regulated management. Fuel consumption and carbon emission are lowered through
approaches such as system restrictions, procedural enhancement and technological innovation.
In 2011, Libya and Egypt outbreak civil war, Yunnan and Japan broke in big earthquakes.
China eastern airline participated in the evacuation of Chinese citizens from Egypt and Libya,
as well as the support of emergency earthquake transport in Yunnan and Japan. With the
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5. Corporate Communication and Reputation Audit
company’s quick response, precise arrangements and its courage to overcome hardship and
difficulties, 53 overtime charter flights were successfully sent to evacuate around 12,000
passengers and provide approximately 143 tones of supplies for the purposes of evacuation,
disaster relief and peacekeeping.
There was an accident in Sep.11, 1998. Chicago tribune reported “SHANGHAI, CHINA —
Seven passengers were injured when a Chinese MD-11 airliner made an emergency landing
Thursday in Shanghai, an airline spokesman said. The passengers aboard the China Eastern
Airlines plane were hurt as they slid down the emergency chutes after the plane landed at
Shanghai’s international airport. The aircraft returned to Shanghai shortly after taking off for
Beijing after the pilot discovered a problem with the front landing gear, the spokesman said.
The MD-11 is the same type of plane that crashed Sept. 2 near Halifax, Nova Scotia, killing all
229 people on board.”(1998). And today that accident be called “ the Chinese miracle on the
Hudson”. And there is a movie named “Crash Landing” was made by Shanghai Film Studio
based on that accident.
Passenger source is Airline’s future. Every year CAAC (Civil Aviation Administration of
China) has a voting that passages can choose which airline they prefer. In past five years, China
Eastern Airline continues to hold “The Most Popular Airline”. Not only that, China Eastern
Airlines was awarded the “Flight Safety Five-star Award” from CAAC. They also ranked 14th
in the “2011 Top 25 Most Innovative Companies in China” by Fortune Magazine (Chinese).
And China Eastern Airline was ranked 24th among the “Top 50 Most Valuable Chinese Brands”
by a member of WPP, a world-leading brand communication service group.
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6. Corporate Communication and Reputation Audit
On the other side, some passengers didn’t like China Eastern Airlines. For example, from
Skytrax survey (A United Kingdom-based consultancy, the public face of Inflight Research
Services, which has one of the largest airline and airport review and ranking site. It conducts
research for commercial airlines.) A passenger wrote, “Was a disappointing flight. 30 minutes
delay after we boarded the aircraft. FA’s served few cups of water after the takeoff and weren’t
seen for the next 4 hours. Seat uncomfortably narrow with very little legroom. No individual
IFE and movies were played repeatedly. A cold and tasteless sandwich served before landing.
Overall, good value for the money but I will not fly this airline again.” I found that many
passages complained about legroom. That is problem of all Chinese airlines. I think there are
three reasons. First, there are more than 1500 million passengers travels by plane.But the
airline only has 351 planes. The problem is service shortage. So they have two methods to
solve, buy more planes or double up on seating. Buy planes needs times. Then they have
chosen latter. Second reason is that occidental taller than Asian. But some passengers enjoy
their travel. “I flew return Paris CDG-Shanghai-Fukouka, flights were on time. Aircraft new,
luggage was checked all the way through from Paris-Fukuoka and arrived no problem. Staff
friendly. Paris to Shanghai flight had own entertainment station. There were a wide range of
English films. Meals were good and comparable to other economy airline food. It was Chinese
food beef and noodles, pork and rice, seafood and rice, dim sum. What else would you expect
from a Chinese airline.” I also found that many passengers like China Eastern Airline’s
airplane food. That is good news. Because airplane food is that make people feeling cold and
unpalatable.
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7. Corporate Communication and Reputation Audit
When I was living in China. There is a lot of information about China Eastern Airline,
specifically in spring festival travel season. Such as Xinhua News Agency:“ During the spring
festival of 2011, China Eastern Airlines domestic flights will increase more than 2100 class,
Hong Kong and Taiwan flights will increase to more than 150 classes, international flights will
increase by more than 900 classes, for a total increase and adjust the flight of more than 3,200
classes. These flights focused on travel and return home hotspot city.”(2011).
It is commonly believedthat China Eastern Airline is a socially responsible enterprise.
They promise conservation of the environment, and focus on make contributions to the society.
But in some ways, China Eastern Airline also need to improve. Here are some suggestions.
First, they should listen attentively to junior employees, such as flight attendant and
customer-service workers. Passengers often use different methods to complain airline. Junior
employees communicate with passenger every day. They are a reliable source of
information.Then I suggest that company could get collection information from junior
employees to help them planning strategy. Second I will suggest that the making variation
service brand objective. That means to attract more high-end passenger and to meet ordinary
passenger needs. For example, airline can provided comfortable airline seats and special foods
to first class passengers. Third, there is no doubt that keeps good communication and
cooperation with media is very important. This requires company factual and transparent
communications. When the company keeps higher transparent for social media, they will
suffer from heavier pressure. And that pressure help airline improve their service.
All in all, China Eastern Airline is getting more prosperous year by year. China eastern
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8. Corporate Communication and Reputation Audit
airline raise its service quality and improve its hardware facilities.In the future, China eastern
airline will become a premium airline that is globally competitive.
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