Beijing International Horticultural Exhibition-themed Airplane “Flowering Heyday” Completes its Maiden Flight

On June 15th, the second Beijing Expo-themed color-sprayed airplane “Flowering Heyday” jointly created by Beijing International Horticultural Exhibition Coordination Bureau and Air China Limited made its debut between Beijing and Kunming.

20 years after the successful holding of Kunming International Horticultural Exposition in 1999, the Beijing Expo-themed airplane once again arrived in Yunnan with the colorful message of the 2019 Beijing Expo. On the same day, the maiden flight ceremony of “Flowering Heyday” themed airplane was successfully held on the parking apron of Kunming Changshui International Airport. Gao Shuxun, member of the Yunnan Provincial People's Government Party Committee and the Director of the China-South Asia Expo Executive Committee, Ye Dahua, Deputy Director of the Beijing International Horticultural Exhibition Coordination Bureau, Wang Jie, Deputy General Manager of Marketing Department of Air China Limited and relevant personnel from Yunnan Provincial People's Government Office, Beijing International Horticultural Exhibition Coordination Bureau, Beijing World Horticultural Exposition Investment Group Co., Ltd., World Horticultural Expo Business Management Co., Ltd, Yanqing District, Beijing, Kunming Changshui International Airport Co., Ltd. attended the event.

To celebrate the success of the debut of the "Flowering Heyday", the traditional welcoming ceremony "Airplane Passing through the Watergate” was held. Yunnan is the province with the largest number of ethnic minorities in China. 25 ethnic minorities are brought together into a splendid culture. The Water-Splashing Festival of the Dai people is a unique festival in Yunnan. During the festival, people splash water on each other and express their blessings, hoping to use holy water to wash away diseases and disasters in exchange for a beautiful and happy life. At the welcoming ceremony, two large-scale fire trucks spurted up to several tens of meters from both sides of the airplane to the sky above the plane to form the watergate, symbolizing the blossoming of auspicious, happy and healthy flowers in the air. “Flowering Heyday” slowly passed through and received the baptism of the watergate. The crowd broke out with long-lasting enthusiastic applause, hoping that this themed airplane full of horticultural spirit will fly to all corners of the world with information about the Beijing Expo. Young people dressed in ethnic minorities in Yunnan presented their flower garlands to the leaders and flight crew members, conveying best wishes to the Beijing Expo 2019 on behalf of the people of Yunnan.

Gao Shuxun, member of the Yunnan Provincial People's Government Party Committee and Director of the China-South Asia Expo Executive Committee, Ye Dahua, Deputy Director of the Beijing International Horticultural Exhibition Coordination Bureau took photos with the captains and flight attendants of the first flight of “Flowering Heyday”.

On the flight from Kunming to Beijing on that day, relevant department heads of the Beijing International Horticultural Exhibition Coordination Bureau and Air China, as well as the flight attendants invited all passengers to experience the “Passing on the Green Dream” themed flight event, presented the seeds implying sowing and hope, mascots of the Beijing Expo and the Expo themed cultural and creative crafts of Yanqing where the Expo will be held. On the eve of the opening of the Beijing Expo 2019, anyone who posts photos of germination of the seeds, the boarding pass of this flight or the souvenirs of the World Horticultural Expo on Moments with the topic of “Passing the Green Dream” will have the opportunity to obtain the ticket of Beijing International Horticultural Expo or the aircraft model of Air China in the lucky draw.

Ye Dahua, the Deputy Director of Beijing International Horticultural Exhibition Coordination Bureau said that the debut of Beijing Expo 2019 themed airplane "Flowering Heyday" was successful and exciting. It symbolized that the theme of the Beijing International Horticultural Exposition as "Live Green, Live Better" has been more widely spread to the public and the concept of sustainable development of ecological civilization has become more deeply rooted. As the global partner of the 2019 Expo, Air China has always adhered to the path of green development. For this event, both parties have joined hands to make the concept "Let horticulture integration into nature and let nature touch the soul" being rooted in the hearts of the people.

Wang Jie, Deputy General Manager of Marketing Department of Air China said that as an airline that upholds the concept of “Green Operation, Sustainable Development”, Air China Limited will actively fulfill its social responsibilities and participate in the construction of national ecological civilization. Knowing the public’s longing for green life and beautiful homeland, Air China hopes to pass on the“Green Dream” of Beijing Expo 2019 through practical actions.