Air China, the country's largest air carrier, will boost its flights from Beijing to European cities, said company president Li Jiaxiang.

Li told reporters that the Beijing-Athens route will be launched on Nov. 28, and daily flights will be introduced from Beijing to Berlin, Istanbul and Warsaw from next March.

Flights from Beijing and Shanghai to Paris, Milan and Munich will be boosted to twice a day, he said, adding that Air China might open daily routes to Manchester, Vienna and Dusseldorf in 2009.

Air China's Europe-bound flight became profitable for the first time from this year, Li noted.

He also indicated that Airbus will gain a similar market position as Boeing in the Chinese market by the end of the decade, saying that his company might order 14 Airbus planes this year.

Air China is also willing to work with other airlines to consolidate capacities, Li said, without providing details.