China Southern Airlines

China Southern Airlines
中国南方航空公司
Zhōngguó Nánfāng Hángkōng Gōngsī
IATA
CZ
ICAO
CSN
Callsign
CHINA SOUTHERN
Founded 1989
Hubs
Focus cities
  • Changchun Longjia International Airport
  • Changsha Huanghua International Airport
  • Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport
  • Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport
  • Shenyang Taoxian International Airport
  • Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport
  • Urumqi Diwopu International Airport
  • Wuhan Tianhe International Airport
  • Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport
Frequent-flyer program Sky Pearl Club
Alliance SkyTeam
Fleet size 309 (+127 orders)[1] incl. cargo
Destinations 121
Parent company China Southern Airlines Co., Ltd.
Headquarters Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
Key people
  • Si Xian Min (Chairman)
  • Tan Wan Geng (President)
Website www.csair.com

China Southern Airlines (simplified Chinese: 中国南方航空公司) (SSE: 600029, SEHK: 1055, NYSEZNH) is an airline headquartered in Baiyun District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.[2] It is regarded as the "flag carrier" for Southern China.[2] China Southern operates domestic, regional and international services.[3] 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.[4] 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 at Changchun Longjia International Airport, Changsha Huanghua International Airport, Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport, Shenyang Taoxian International Airport, Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport, Urumqi Diwopu International Airport, Wuhan Tianhe International Airport, and Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport. The airline plans to develop Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport and Urumqi Diwopu International Airport as hubs, along with the current hubs at Beijing and Guangzhou[5].

China Southern Airlines is also accredited by IATA with the IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit) for its safety practices.[6]

Contents

History

China Southern Airlines started operations in 1989. In 1996, the airline began long haul intercontinental routes with the first being the Guangzhou-Beijing-Amsterdam route. In March 1997, the next route to be launched was the transpacific Guangzhou-Los Angeles, which is currently China Southern's longest. It also made history by being the 1st airline to fly a Boeing 777 twin engine 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 2 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. In November 2004 the acquisition was completed as China Southern acquired the holding company that owned China Northern and China Xinjiang [3].

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[3].

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.[7]

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.[8][9]

On January 15, 2009 the airline was the first mainland Chinese airline to open a branch office in Taiwan.[10]

Destinations

China Southern currently serves 121 destinations in the world. Out of the 121 destinations, 65 of them are international 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) and Urumqi (Notably to Central Asia). Out of all of the major Chinese airlines, China Southern operates the largest South East Asia network due to its Guangzhou hub. 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.[11] China Southern has planned to start a Guangzhou-Brisbane-Auckland service commencing from November 3, 2010.[12] Including the planned start to Brisbane, China Southern is also increasing the Guangzhou-Sydney service to twice daily and increasing the Guangzhou-Melbourne flight to daily [13] Furthermore, China Southern is slated to start a new Guangzhou-Dubai-Lagos flight three times weekly commencing on October 10.[14]

Codeshare agreements

China Southern Airlines has codeshare agreements with the following airlines, beside SkyTeam members:

Fleet

China Southern Airbus A321 at New Chitose Airport.
China Southern Boeing 777-200 at Kansai Airport in Osaka, Japan

The China Southern Airlines fleet consists of the following aircraft (as of February 2010):

China Southern Airlines Fleet
Type In
Service
Orders Passengers
(First/Business/Economy)
Notes
Airbus A319-100 55 14 128(0/8/120) 27 leased
Airbus A320-200 103 80 158(0/8/150) 10 leased
Airbus A321-200 82 37 185(0/16/169) 20 leased
Airbus A330-200 16 16 226(0/30/196)
Airbus A330-300 16 8 292(4/24/264) New 3-class interiors
Airbus A380-800 5 Entry into service: 2011
ATR-72-500 5 72(0/0/72)
Boeing 737-300 30 145(0/0/145) 12 leased
Boeing 737-700 32 25 145(0/0/145) 11 leased
Boeing 737-800 60 30 167(0/8/159) 21 leased
Boeing 757-200 19 200(0/8/192)
Boeing 777-200 4 277(0/30/247)
Boeing 777-200ER 6 292(18/65/209)
282(24/51/207)
Features
Premier Economy Class
Boeing 787-800 10 TBA Entry into service: 2011
Embraer ERJ-145 6 50 (0/0/50)
McDonnell Douglas MD-90-30 13 157(0/12/145)
Total 447 217

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 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 A300-600RF 6
Boeing 747-400F 2
Boeing 777-200F 4 2 2 777-Fs sent to desert immediately.
Total 12 2

Average fleet age is 7 years as of March 2010.[15] The cargo subsidiary is to join the SkyTeam Cargo alliance in November 2010.[16]

Aircraft orders

Incidents and accidents

References

  1. http://www.planespotters.net/Airline/China-Southern-Airlines
  2. 2.0 2.1 "China Southern Airlines Co. Ltd." BNet. Retrieved on October 3, 2009.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International: p. 65. 2007-04-03. 
  4. China Southern Airlines website, in Chinese
  5. http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2010-04/09/content_9709483.htm
  6. IATA
  7. "China Southern Announces Large-Scale International Boost; World's Fastest Growing Airline To Launch 10 New International Routes; Guangzhou To Serve As Hub In Major Airline Expansion.". http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb5243/is_200702/ai_n19689644. 
  8. SkyTeam FAQ and Travel Tips - SkyTeam
  9. Newsticker - Nachrichten-Newsticker von Welt Online - ständig aktuelle Nachrichten und Informationen - WELT ONLINE
  10. "China Southern Airlines opens branch in Taipei." China Daily. January 15, 2009. Retrieved on January 25, 2009.
  11. China Southern to develop Chongqing, Urumqi hubs
  12. China Southern Plans Guangzhou-Brisbane-Auckland Route
  13. China Southern marches into Australian aviation market
  14. China Southern To Launch Guangzhou To Lagos Route
  15. China Southern Airlines Fleet Age
  16. http://www.aircargoworld.com/News/March-2010/China-Southern-to-join-SkyTeam-Cargo
  17. Airliner World, April 2005
  18. Airbus A330-300 / A330-343
  19. 波音新闻:中国150架波音737订单全部确认
  20. 波音新闻:中国南方航空公司宣布订购波音777货机
  21. China Southern to order 55 more 737s Flight Global, 21 August 2007
  22. China Southern Airlines to buy 10 A330-200s - International Herald Tribune
  23. http://news.alibaba.com/article/detail/business-in-china/100236003-1-china-southern-airlines-buy-20.html
  24. AirDisaster.Com Accident Database
  25. "Jet Crashes in China, Killing 141; 5th Serious Accident in 4 Months." The New York Times.
  26. AirDisaster.Com Accident Database
  27. [1] Archived August 22, 2006 at the Wayback Machine.
  28. Aussie arrested over China plane threat
  29. China detains Australian for airline bomb threat: report. 23/08/2006. ABC News Online
  30. "China says militant plots foiled". BBC News. March 9, 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7286028.stm. Retrieved April 28, 2010. 

External links