Twenty Chinese air operators signed March 31 an agreement for joint operation of over 150 air routes, a practice approved by civil aviation officials as can help stabilize ticket price and regulate air market operations in China.

Encouraged by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), air routes set for joint market operation are up to over 150 from 108, more than 60 percent of China's civil air routes, according to International Finance News. CAAC also stipulates that when an operator should break agreed price alliance it would be held responsible for losses caused to other operators.

The agreement means a unified operation of air routes flown by companies with unified ticket price, accounting and discounts based on a summer/autumn timetable provided.

(People’s Daily 04/04/2001)