Analysis China aviation market
This is set to change as the Chinese carriers build on the momentum of their international network expansion. Over 52 new destinations have been added to China’s international air passenger network over the past fi ve years. However, this network expansion is due to a combination of Chinese carriers and foreign airlines operating to China adding new routes. Beside the three biggest carriers in China, privately funded Chinese carriers, such as Hainan Airlines, have also managed to increase their presence in the international market. Hainan has boosted its international operations from Shanghai, Hangzhou and Shenzhen, as well as at its primary international hub in Beijing Capital International Airport.
www.routesonline.com
Other Chinese carriers are also starting to expand internationally, such as Sichuan Airline’s application to the Federal Aviation Administration to operate a service four times a week to Saipan in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). This will operate twice a week from both Guangzhou and Chengdu via Shanghai. Low-cost carrier Spring Airlines will also start its fi rst ‘international’ service between Shanghai and Hong Kong in March 2011.
Alliance membership 2007 was a signifi cant year for Chinese carriers in the airline alliance landscape. China Southern Airlines led the pack with full SkyTeam membership in November, while both Air China and
Shanghai Airlines joined Star Alliance in December.
Shanghai Airlines subsequently pulled out of Star Alliance in 2010 following its merger with China Eastern Airlines, which should be a member of SkyTeam by mid-2011. Oneworld does not have a member in Mainland China, but it will be interested in monitoring the development of partnerships between Air China and Cathay Pacifi c following the carriers’ cross equity ownership exercise in 2008/09.
The Hong Kong-based carrier is a key member of oneworld and if both carriers continue to develop closer partnerships moving forward, inevitably at some point in the future it will make sense for them to belong to the same alliance.
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