Air China pleads with China Eastern over rejection

China National Aviation Corp (CNAC), the parent company of Air China, placed an ad in a newspaper to ask directors of China Eastern Airways (CEA) to reconsider their rejection of an alliance between the carriers, AFP reported. In the ad, placed Saturday in the South China Morning Post, CNAC said it had been "highly sincere in seeking a strategic partnership" with CEA. Last Tuesday, CEA directors rejected CNAC’s approaches, saying CNAC’s proposal "lacks sincerity, planning and mutual trust and it would be hard to create a basis for cooperation." In January, CEA shareholders rejected a bid by Singapore Airlines and Temasek Holdings for a stake in the carrier after CNAC said it would offer a higher bid, but CEA’s leadership has to date resisted CNAC’s offers.