China Southern Airlines, 中国南方航空公司) (SSE: 600029, SEHK: 1055, NYSE: ZNH) is an airline headquartered in Baiyun District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China. It is regarded as the "flag carrier" for Southern China. China Southern operates scheduled domestic and international passnger flights. In 2008, China Southern was the world's 5th largest airline by passengers carried, and Asia's largest airline in terms of both fleet size and in passengers carried. It is also the 4th largest airline in the world in domestic passenger traffic and 6th largest in scheduled domestic passenger-kilometres flown. China Southern carries more domestic cargo than any other airline. It is a member of the SkyTeam airline alliance.
Its main operation hubs are Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport and Beijing Capital International Airport, with other focus cities in Changchun, Changsha, Dalian, Shenyang, Shenzhen, Ürümqi, Wuhan and Zhengzhou. The airline plans to develop Chongqing and Ürümqi as hubs, to supplement its current hubs at Beijing and Guangzhou.
China Southern Airlines is accredited by IATA with the IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit) for its safety practices. Other developments include the joining of airline alliance SkyTeam in 2007 and its cargo division in 2010.
History
China Southern Airlines started operations in 1989. In 1996, the airline began long-haul intercontinental routes with the first being Guangzhou–Beijing–Amsterdam. In March 1997, the next route to be launched was the trans-pacific Guangzhou–Los Angeles, which is currently China Southern's longest. It also made history by being the 1st airline to fly a Boeing 777 non-stop across the Pacific. In June 1997, China Southern Airlines initial public stock offering on the New York and Hong Kong Stock Exchanges generated over $700 million. In July 2000, it also added two more long haul routes to Sydney and Melbourne. Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) selected China Southern as one of three airlines to lead the restructuring of China's air transport industry. It acquired Zhongyuan Airlines on 4 August 2000. In January 2003 the airline absorbed China Northern Airlines and its subsidiaries Beiya Airlines and China Northern Swan, as well as China Xinjiang Airlines, into its domestic operations. This enabled the airline to absorb the Urumqi and the North Eastern China hubs into its operations as focus cities, which dramatically expanded the airlines operations. In November 2004 the acquisition was completed as China Southern acquired the holding company that owned China Northern and China Xinjiang.
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| A Boeing 777-200ER in special SkyTeamlivery |
In 2004, the company achieved a turnover of around 40 million passengers, becoming one of the top ten passenger carriers in the world. Among all Chinese airlines, it boasts the largest fleet with the most bases, most extensive domestic networks and highest flight frequencies. Renowned for its excellent passenger services, the airline has won Five-star Diamond Award for flight services and has been honoured as China's best airline by TTG Asia Magazine.
The airline is owned by China Southern Air Holding (50.3%), private Hong Kong and non-Chinese investors (H shareholders) (26.84%) and private China investors (A shareholders) (22.86%). It has 34,417 employees as at March 2007.
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| A China Southern Boeing 757, |
In 2007, China Southern Airlines overtook both All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines in terms of passenger numbers to become Asia's largest airline in passengers carried. Also, out of all the major airlines in the world (excluding low cost), it is the fastest growing airline in Asia in terms of fleet size. It will also announce a large scale international boost, after rapidly increasing services to other countries, with both hubs in Guangzhou and Beijing.
The airline signed a Memorandum of Understanding on August 28, 2004 with the SkyTeam alliance. On November 15, 2007, China Southern was officially welcomed as the 11th full member of SkyTeam, thus becoming the first mainland Chinese airline to enter a global airline alliance.
On January 15, 2009 the airline was the first mainland Chinese airline to open a branch office in Taiwan.
Destinations
China Southern Airlines destinations
China Southern currently serves 121 destinations worldwide. The airline provides services to 65 international destinations out of a total 121 destinations. Most of the International destinations fly from its Guangzhou hub. There are a handful of international destinations that are operated through Beijing (intercontinental destinations), Urumqi (notably to Central Asia) and Dalian (to Japan, South Korea, and Russia). Out of all of the major Chinese airlines, China Southern operates the largest South East Asian network due to its Guangzhou hub. China Southern has the third biggest international network of the three biggest Chinese carrier, with 15 percent of its flights being International flights, as opposed to Air China and China Eastern with 34 and 26 percent respectively. China Southern is intending to strengthen Urumqi and Chongqing and to turn the two cities into hubs and therefore more destinations and frequencies can be served.
After China Southern's launch to Brisbane, it intends to start flights to Cairns, Perth, Auckland and Adelaide by 2013. China Southern is currently the largest Chinese carrier to Australia. There are also rumors that China Southern will deploy the A380 to Australia as part of the expansion of its flights to Australia. China Southern announced that they will commence three weekly flights to Auckland via Melbourne. The service is to start on April 30.
Codeshare agreements
China Southern Airlines has codeshare agreements with the following airlines, beside SkyTeam members:
Asiana Airlines (Star Alliance)
Cathay Pacific (Oneworld)
China Airlines (SkyTeam - future)
China Eastern Airlines (SkyTeam - future)
Dragonair (Oneworld)
Garuda Indonesia (SkyTeam - future)
Japan Airlines (Oneworld)
Malaysia Airlines
Pakistan International Airlines
Fleet
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| China Southern Airbus A321 at New Chitose Airport. |
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| China Southern Boeing 777-200 at Kansai Airport in Osaka, Japan |
The China Southern Airlines fleet consists of the following aircraft (as of September 2010):
In June 2007, China Southern transferred 3 Airbus A320s to its new subsidiary Chongqing Airlines.
On October 27, 2008, China Southern Airlines retired its fleet of 12 MD-82 aircraft. This officially brought an end to the use of MD-82 aircraft in China. They have been replaced with more efficient Airbus A321 aircraft.
Cargo
China Southern Cargo Boeing 747-400F at Amsterdam Airport.
A freight branch of China Southern Airlines, China Southern Cargo, serves points in USA, Europe and Asia from its Shanghai Pudong hub and Guangzhou Baiyun Airport.
China Southern Cargo Fleet
Type In
Service Orders Notes
Airbus A300-600F 2 2 Converted passenger aircraft
Boeing 747-400F 2 —
Boeing 777-200F 5 1
Total 9 3
Average fleet age is 7 years as of March 2010. The cargo subsidiary is to join the SkyTeam Cargo alliance in November 2010.
Aircraft orders
Delivery of the first Airbus A330-243 to China Southern Airlines took place on 25 February 2005. It is the first operator of the type in China and has a further two on order due for delivery in the first half of 2005. The aircraft seats 266 passengers and will be operated mainly on medium and long range routes, including some possible new international routes.
In May 2005, China Southern Airlines signed an agreement with Airbus for the purchase of 5 Airbus A380-800 aircraft for delivery in time for the 2008 Olympics. It is the first commitment for the type from a Chinese carrier. China Southern has also signed initial agreement for the purchase of 10 Boeing 787 aircraft. The aircraft would be delivered between 2008 and 2010. However, due to delivery delays, the aircraft was not delivered in time for the Olympics and as of May 2010, the first of the aircraft are scheduled to arrive sometime in 2011.
On 6 September 2005, China Southern Airlines along with CASGC placed an order for 10 Airbus A330 wide-body airliners including 8 A330-300s and 2 A330-200s. Aircraft deliveries were due to begin in December 2007 and continue through 2008.
In December 2005, China Southern Airlines along with CASGC announced an order with Boeing for 9 Boeing 737-700s and 11 Boeing 737-800s. In June 2006, China Southern Airlines confirmed another order of 3 B737-700s and 7 B737-800s. The deliveries will continue through 2010.
On 7 July 2006, China Southern Airlines has confirmed a deal with Airbus covering the purchase of 50 more A320 narrowbodies for delivery from 2009. The order includes 13 A319-100s, 20 A320-200s and 17 A321-200s.
On 19 October 2006, China Southern Airlines placed an order for 6 Boeing 777 freighters, striding forward a brand new step in its cargo development. The aircraft will be delivered from November 2008 to July 2010.
On August 20, 2007, China Southern Airlines announced its intention for an order of 25 Boeing 737-700s and 30 Boeing 737-800s, which will be delivered from May 2011 to October 2013. It may become one of the world's largest Boeing 737 operators.
On October 23, 2007, China Southern Airlines announced that it has placed an order for 10 additional Airbus A330-200s. The order has a listed price of $1.677 billion US and the aircraft will be delivered from March 2010 to August 2012.
On January 21, 2010, China Southern announced an order for an additional 20 A320-200s scheduled for delivery from 2011 - 2013 due to the falling fuel costs and surging passenger demand.
Incidents and accidents
On October 2, 1990, a hijacked Xiamen Airlines Boeing 737 crashed into a China Southern Airlines Boeing 757, killing people in both aircraft. See Guangzhou Baiyun aircraft collision
On November 24, 1992, Flight 3943, a Boeing 737 jetliner (Reg. B-2523), crashed into a hill near Guilin, Guangxi, killing all 141 on board, due to an engine thrust malfunction.
On May 8, 1997, Flight 3456, a Boeing 737-300 jetliner (Reg. B-2925), crashed on approach into Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport killing 35, with 9 injured.
On August 22, 2006, flight CZ325 from Guangzhou, China to Sydney, Australia had to be turned back to Guangzhou after a note had been found indicating a bomb was on board. The plane was returned to Guangzhou after one hour into the flight. Passengers were interviewed by police for two hours after landing, after which they were allowed back onto the plane to resume their journey. A 39-year-old Australian businessman of Hong Kong origin was arrested after Chinese police matched his handwriting with that of the threatening note found in the lavatory. He was alleged to have told police that he had made the threat because he was lovesick and suffering from depression over a failed relationship, the Xinhua news agency was quoted as saying.
On March 7, 2008, an attempt to hijack and crash a flight en route to Beijing from Urumqi was averted when the crew found a 19 year old Turkic woman trying to spill gasoline in the toilet. The pilot made an emergency landing at Lanzhou Airport and two passengers were arrested.
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