Civil Aviation Administration unveils guideline on sustainable development

A turboprop aircraft is seen at the Yantai International Airport in Yantai, Shandong province. [Photo by Lin Yizeng/for China Daily]

The Civil Aviation Administration on Friday unveiled the guideline on sustainable development of the industry, calling for energy saving and carbon reduction by aircraft, efficiency improvement of air traffic control and better service for passengers.

The industry has made progress in energy saving, emission reduction and bio-fuel, but there are still problems such as insufficient understanding of "green development" and a lack of unified industry standards, said Gu Xiaohong, deputy director of the administration's general affairs department.

According to the guideline, related policies, standards and evaluation system of civil aviation's sustainable development will be established by 2020. And further achievements are expected in resource conservation, environmental protection and the application of new technologies.

The industry should strive to lift the fuel efficiency of aircraft, improve operational management of air traffic control departments, and offer higher-quality airport service, the guideline said.

It also called for green service for passengers, with focus on improving the punctuality of fights, shortening the time for customs clearance and baggage collection, and better public transportation at airports.

Gu said that a sustainable development will bring more advanced technologies and managment to the industry, and help the country's civil aviation sector gain more international influence.