More Flights to China
American Airlines buys stake in China's biggest airline to boost flights
DFW travelers will see more flights to China in the future via a new alliance between American Airlines and China's largest airline. American is making an investment of $200 million in China Southern Airlines.
American Airlines president Robert Isom says that China Southern's network within China touches developing and thriving markets that only a Chinese carrier can reach.
"We are two of the biggest carriers in the world and our networks are highly complementary, with the potential to offer China Southern and American customers an unmatched range of destinations in two critical markets for business and leisure travelers," Isom says in a release.
China Southern is one of the three major carriers in mainland China, with over 100,000 employees around the globe. It ranks first in Asia and fourth in the world with regards to traffic volume and fleet size. It operates more than 2,000 daily flights to 208 destinations in 40 countries and regions. Via its SkyTeam partners, China Southern's global route network spans 1,062 destinations to 177 countries and regions.
China Southern Chairman Wang Cheng Shun says that the relationship will connect two of the world's largest aviation markets and leading economies. "Our cooperation has the possibility to create enormous benefits for our industry and customers around the world as we work to offer them more travel options and better value," he says.
China Southern’s primary hub is located in Guangzhou (CAN) with the majority of its transpacific flights positioned there, while American flies to Beijing (PEK) and Shanghai (PVG) from its hubs in Chicago (ORD), Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), and Los Angeles (LAX).
The alliance will give travelers features at different price points, as well as a bigger network. American customers will be able to access nearly 40 destinations beyond Beijing and more than 30 destinations beyond Shanghai. Meanwhile, China Southern customers will gain access to almost 80 destinations beyond LAX, San Francisco (SFO), and New York’s Kennedy Airport (JFK) in North and South America.
The expected codeshare routes are anticipated to include the ability to earn and redeem AAdvantage Miles, through-bag checking, and the ability to book travel on a single ticket. The planned routes operating under the interline agreement are anticipated to include through-bag checking to the traveler’s final destination.
American currently offers daily service from DFW to Hong Kong (HKG), PEK and PVG; LAX to HKG and PVG; and ORD to PEK and PVG. All flights to PEK and PVG are operated on the airline’s state-of-the-art Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, while its HKG flights are operated using its flagship Boeing 777-300. American also has Chinese-speaking flight attendants and offers fully lie-flat seats in first and business class cabins on all of its transpacific flights between China and the U.S.
