China's civil aviation industry has taken quick action to ensure smooth traffic in the air after the 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Wenchuan, Sichuan Province.
Civil Aviation Administration of China says it immediately set up a relief leader team after the earthquake and deployed forces and personnel to ensure the smooth transportation in the air. Li Jiaxiang, direct of CAAC went to the disaster area on the very night of the earthquake and he asked all airlines, airports and concerned civil aviation units to act according to the overall situation and make full efforts to support the government's relief efforts.
After the earthquake occurred, Air China's Southwest Branch in Chengdu immediately moved its employees to a safe place and set up a temporary command center to keep contact with the outside, arrange relief work and evacuate passengers.
China Southern Airlines also established a relief team after the earthquake. The company's president Liu Shaoyong went to Sichuan to direct the relief work himself.
In response to the damage caused by the earthquake to the aviation oil system of some of the airports including Chengdu, Xi'an, Jiuzhaigou and Mianyang, China Aviation Oil Corp also held an emergency meeting and set up a relief team for the system repairing. So far, the aviation oil supply at all the airports has resumed.