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| Executive Travel: Shanghai |
Private Aviation
Michelle Seaton
06/01/2006
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A visitor to Shanghai can rent the penthouse suite at the Grand Hyatt, go to the
window at 3 am and see the bright sparks of welders’ torches in every
direction—Shanghai fireworks, so to speak—against a skyline that is ever rising to keep pace with the city’s
mounting economic growth.
Unfortunately, the landscape of private aviation
is evolving at a much slower pace. China has no true FBOs, although this is
likely to change in the next five years. The Civil Aviation Administration of
China (CAAC) has stated its intention to gradually relax the bureaucracy
surrounding private flights to encourage the creation of Western-style FBOs,
charter operations and perhaps even general aviation airfields.
Meanwhile,
local businessmen still buy commercial first-class tickets when they travel from
city to city. Private jet owners should expect excessive red tape and few
conveniences.
The closest thing to an FBO right now is a ground handler
affiliated with one of China’s large airlines. The best-known of these is China
Eastern Executive Air (www.ceaea.com;
+86.21.6268.0102), a subsidiary of China Eastern Airlines that has a presence in
44 cities. It offers ground-handling services, fuel, security, expedited
customs, meeting areas, flight plans and permissions, catering and hangar space
that can accommodate a 747-400. The handlers will direct you to a parking spot,
have a customs official process your paperwork on board the aircraft, and then
transfer your party in a van to the terminal.
Prior permissions and fees.
Most handlers will tell you that you need five days to secure the requisite
permits to land in Shanghai. You should also budget about $5,000 per day for
fees.
Documentation. In addition to multiple entry visas for every passenger
and crew member, your handler will need to secure several documents before you
land in Shanghai. Because there is relatively little commercial air travel
(considering the size of China’s population), the government expects to have
strict control over the movements of individual airplanes.
The CAAC tightly
controls the arrival and departure slots at every city airport. No one takes off
or lands without having filed a flight plan that specifically lists the date and
time of the arrival or take off and the tail number of the aircraft. The CAAC
must then file this flight plan with China’s air force, which produces another
layer of paperwork—and another fee. If travelers want to alter an itinerary,
they must first apply for a modification and pay additional fees. The government
is working to reduce the level of paperwork, but change happens slowly.
China
also requires sponsor information for every individual entering the country. You
will have to file papers stating what individuals or organizations within the
country have invited you to Shanghai and for what purpose. Government officials
will contact your sponsor and verify the information you have
provided.
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