Air China Limited registered 10.9% growth in passenger throughput in January 2017, with passenger capacity increasing 7.8% year on year, according to the airline's monthly statistics.

In January, the flag carrier handled about 8.41 million people, up 11.8% year on year, while its cargo volume dropped 2.4% to 145,413 tonnes.

Passenger capacity measured by ASK (Available Seat Kilometers) increased 7.8% from a year earlier, while passenger traffic measured by RPK (Revenue Passenger Kilometers) rose 10.9%.

For domestic routes, passenger capacity and passenger traffic increased by 10.9% and 13.2%, respectively, as compared to the same period last year.

For international routes, passenger capacity and passenger traffic rose 4.4% and 8.6% year on year, respectively. Passenger capacity on regional routes decreased by 5.1%, and passenger traffic saw a decline of 2.2%, as compared to the same period last year.

The overall passenger load factor rose 2.3 percentage points from a year earlier to 81.7%.

In cargo traffic, in January 2017, cargo and mail traffic measured by Revenue Freight Tonne Kilometers (RFTK) saw a slight increase but cargo capacity, measured by Available Freight Tonne Kilometers (AFTK), grew by 6.2% year on year.

Volume of cargo and traffic fell by 2.4% from a year earlier; while freight load factor dropped 2.9 percentage points to 49.8%.

Air China introduced one Airbus A321 aircraft and retired two Boeing 737-700s last month. As of January 2017, the Group operated a fleet of 624 aircraft, including 261 self-owned aircraft, 172 finance leased aircraft and 191 operating leased aircraft.