China Southern to Open 72 New Routes in Summer Season

China Southern Airlines (CZ) will expand its fleet to 510 aircraft (excluding Xiamen Airlines) and open up 72 new routes for the summer/autumn season.

By then, the airline will operate over 1,700 flights daily to 196 destinations at home and abroad with over 620 routes. Meanwhile, the airline also plans to open more international routes. The newly introduced Boeing 787 and Boeing 777-300ER aircraft will be deployed on these international routes to improve passenger comfort.

The airline will further enhance its connectivity to Australia, Europe and North America by opening up new routes and increasing flight frequencies on existing ones. The airline said it will launch Guangzhou-San Francisco service from June 22. The New York service will be increased to 11 flights weekly from current four flights weekly in the peak season, and Los Angeles will be added from 7 to 11.

Meanwhile, China Southern will gradually upgrade some European services, deploying Airbus A380 superjumbo on its Beijing-Amsterdam route from June 20, and Boeing 777-300ER on its Guangzhou-Urumqi-Moscow service from May 21.

Starting July 15, China Southern will fly its 787 Dreamliner on Guangzhou-Perth route.

In addition, the Guangzhou-based carrier plans to expand several new international routes to Southeast Aisa and Africa. The airline will fly nonstop flight from Guangzhou to Nairobi from August, three flights a week; while it will also connect its hub with Nha Trang in Vietnam, Sabah in Malaysia, Vientiane in Laos, and Ko Samui and Krabi in Thailand, as well as two services linking Shenzhen with Bangkok and Krabi. Most of the cities are hubs within the proposed networks of Asian trade infrastructure known as the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road

wcarn

Photo:Glenn Palmer-LHR