Following several unofficial slips over several weeks that revealed George Bush Intercontinental would soon be a hub for nonstop flights to China, the official official announcement finally came during a Tuesday morning press conference-cum-celebration, complete with bao, dumplings and a traditional Chinese dragon dance.
"I am pleased to announce that, subject to government approval, Air China will inaugurate nonstop service between Beijing, the capital of China, and your great city of Houston in July of this year," said Dr. Zhihang Chi, the airline's vice president and general manager for North America, during the event at the recently-restored Julia Ideson Library.
Mayor Annise Parker said that the flight has been high on her priority list since she took office in January of 2010.
The pronouncement also drew officials from the city, the state and the Chinese consulate, who took turns at the mic to extol the benefits of this new direct route and what it means for the relationship between the two "dynamic" and "sophisticated" cities.
Mayor Annise Parker said that the flight has been high on her priority list since she took office in January of 2010.
"The dance today is a reflection about how excited we are about this announcement," said Parker, noting the Chinese dragon that flanked the stage. "Our ties to Asia, and to China in specific, are strong and growing and growing stronger every day."
That relationship was punctuated by an exchange of gifts between Parker and Chinese Consul General Erwen Xu, and between Chi and Houston Airport System director of aviation Mario Diaz. Similar to the 10 gallon gift that late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping received on a visit to the city in 1979, Diaz presented Chi with a felt cowboy hat of his own (which he initially, endearingly, put on backwards).
Following approval by the FAA and infrastructure improvements to IAH's Terminal D, Air China will embark on four-times-weekly trips to the Chinese capital upon a Boeing 777-300ER beginning July 11.
The flight is scheduled to depart Beijing at 3 p.m. and land in Houston at 3:30 p.m. on the same day. For the trip back, the plane will depart IAH at 1:40 a.m. and arrive in Beijing at 5 a.m. the following day.
It's official: Nonstop flights between Houston and Beijing will begin in July 2013.
