China Eastern parent gets extra $293 mln govt aid

SHANGHAI, May 13 (Reuters) - The state parent of China Eastern Airlines (600115.SS) (0670.HK) has received an additional 2 billion yuan ($293 million) in cash assistance from the government, a senior company executive said on Wednesday.

"We have received the money from the government and will use it to ease the operational difficulties of the group firm," Liu Jiangbo, vice president of China Eastern Air Holding Co told Reuters.

The group had injected 7 billion yuan in cash it received from the government previously into its loss-making listed arm through a share placement deal.

Liu said she was not aware of any plan to inject the $293 million to China Eastern Airlines.

Major Chinese airlines have been saddled by losses from falling demand for air travel amid slower economic growth and the impact from the global financial crisis.

China Eastern Airlines said in a statement its jet fuel expense in 2009 could be lower than last year's level of 18.4 billion yuan if there were no sharp movements in global oil prices.

($1=6.825 Yuan) (Reporting by Fang Yan and Jacqueline Wong)