Air China has begun to resume those flights that had been canceled because of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak.

With the outbreak largely under control and traveling picking up again, Beijing Capital Airport serviced 119 flights and 12,000 passengers on June 3.

On May 8, when SARS was at its peak, flight numbers reduced to 45, and passengers to 2,055 only.

Based in Beijing, Air China normally has 280 flights coming in and out of the capital airport on average every day, with passengers amounting to about 45,000.

Currently, flight and passenger volumes are down 42 percent and 26 percent respectively on the average.

In the past two months, Air China has taken more care in maintaining and checking aircraft, and was also disinfecting aircraft regularly.

Air China also promoted free SARS insurance policies for passengers.

Domestic flights have been resumed faster than international flights, and as SARS continues to wane, air traffic will gradually return to normal, said an Air China spokesperson.

(Xinhua News Agency June 4, 2003)