China Southern Airlines to start India operations

19 July, 2007:

Come Q4 of the current fiscal, China Southern Airlines will commence its operations in India connecting New Delhi with the Chinese southern city of Guangzhou. The first flight is expected to take off by the second week of September 2007. According to a report, China Southern Airlines would operate three flights a week. Officially, the new airline would begin flying to India on September 9, 2007. The Guangzhou - Delhi - Guanghou route would be served using a Boeing 757 - 200 series.

With almost all major manufacturing industries of China based out of Guangzhou and its suburbs, the airline will be the perfect choice for the business traveler. The city of Cantan, famous for its twice-a-year trade show, gets many Indian business visitors and with the new direct connection this would give a major thrust to the business of both the countries.

China Southern Airlines has a code share agreement with Indian, and will be offering special fares in combination with Indian via Bangkok to Guangzhou. There will also be convenient connections to major cities in China. Though the airline still awaits final approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, India, the airline hopes the entire process would not take more than a month.

Another report added that Condor Air Services has been appointed the general sales agents in India by the China Southern Airlines Company. China Southern Airlines is a main transportation business of China Southern Air Holding Company that started operations in 1989, with its hub as Guangzhou.

Significantly, the airline is home to one of the most technologically advanced fleet, with the most extensive domestic network in the People's Republic of China.