British airline company Virgin Atlantic Airways expects rising sales in China by expanding its ticketing network through cooperation with a Chinese company, a top official said Monday.

Steve Ridgway, CEO of the British company, said here that his company's cooperation with China Civil Aviation Information Network Co. Ltd was of strategic importance to developing its business in China.

According to Ridgway, Virgin's ticketing network will connect to that of the Chinese company, and Chinese ticket agencies will have faster, more timely and full contact with Virgin.

Huang Peng, general manager of the marketing department of the Chinese company, said the two companies reached the agreement in January 2004 and the two sides' connected ticketing systems were expected to be operational in July, when Virgin can directly reach 28,000 ticketing terminals in over 300 Chinese cities.

(Xinhua News Agency May 11, 2004)