Recently, the cross flow turbine attracts more and more attention for its good performance over a large operating regime at off design point. This study adopts a very low head cross flow turbine that has barely been studied before, and investigates the effect of air layer on the performance of the cross flow turbine. As open duct is applied in this study and free surface model is used between the air layer and water, an engineering definition of efficiency, instead of traditional definition of efficiency, is used. As torque at the runner fluctuates up and down at a reasonable limit, statistical method is used. Pressure and water volume fraction contours are shown to present the characteristics of air-water flow. With constant air suction in the runner chamber, the water level gradually drops below the runner and efficiency of the turbine can be raised by 10 percent. All considered, the effect of air layer on the performance of turbine is considerable.