Economy

China Southern to develop Chongqing, Urumqi hubs

By Hou Lei (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-04-09 16:43

China Southern Airlines will make Chongqing and Urumqi its main operation hubs in an effort to meet the challenge of domestic competitors, China Business News reported Friday.

Dong Suguang, deputy general manger of China Southern, told the newspaper that the carrier hopes to develop the southwestern municipality Chongqing to a hub in plateau areas and Urumqi of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to a hub focusing on the market in West and Central Asia.

The Guangzhou-headquartered carrier, also one of the country's three largest airlines together with Air China and China Eastern Airlines, currently has two hubs, Guangzhou and Beijing.

China's air transportation market has begun its reshaping following the merging of China Eastern and Shanghai Airlines last year, as well as Air China's gaining control of Shenzhen Airlines in this March.

China Southern faces more pressure as Air China and China Eastern have the largest market shares in Shenzhen and Shanghai respectively.

According to the latest summer flight schedule of China Southern, the carrier increased 372 flights per week in Guangzhou, 354 flights per week in Urumqi and 82 flights per week in Chongqing respectively, China Business News reported.

Mr Dong also said China Southern will help transfer more passengers to foreign cities. The airline resumes its Urumqi-Dubai-Jeddah service and opens the Guangzhou-Brisbane-Auckland service in the new summer flight schedule.