China Southern plans to serve CNS, ADL and PER

[Jarden S]

China Southern Airlines has
tabled plans to fly to Cairns,
Perth and Adelaide by 2013 as
the carrier’s senior executive
outlined an aggressive growth
strategy.
China Southern president and
chief executive, Tan Wangeng,
met assistant tourism minister
Nick Sherry in Brisbane yesterday
to discuss further expansion.
The airline commenced nonstop
flights between Guangzhou
and Brisbane this week and has
more than doubled capacity from
Australian ports to 24 flights per
week.
Sherry said talks centred
on adding Cairns, Perth and
Adelaide to the network, with
additional Brisbane flights also
planned. It hopes to have 50
services per week by 2013.
“The plans outlined to me
by Mr Tan and his senior
management team show a deep
commitment to the future of
the China-Australian air link,”
Sherry said. “The number of
visitors from China is expected
to more than double over this
decade to around 800,000 a year.”
An airline spokesman
confirmed the growth targets,
adding that Wangeng is also
scheduled to meet with tourism
minister Martin Ferguson
this afternoon to discuss its
expansion.
China Southern Airlines will
take delivery of its first A380 next
year, with observers predicting
the aircraft could be deployed to
Australia. It currently uses A330-
300 and A330-200 aircraft, both
of which have been equipped
with the new premium economy
product.
The spokesman also confirmed
Auckland flights are being
considered, though it’s unclear
when flights might commence

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