News from China and SkyTeam that Xiamen Airlines is set to join the alliance, and will become a full member towards the end of 2012.
In some ways this isn’t surprising at all as Xiamen Airlines is 60% owned by China Southern Airlines – who also happens to be sponsoring their entry into the alliance.
Xiamen Airlines currently operates a mostly China domestic programme (with international options to Hong Kong, Macau, Kuala Lumpur, Osaka, Seoul and Taiwan), using a fleet of 737-700’s, 737-800’s and 757-200’s, with orders for Boeing’s 787 and the Comac ARJ-21-700.
SkyTeam’s MD – Michael Wisbrun states:
“SkyTeam has long recognised the region’s huge economic potential. Xiamen Airlines’ membership in SkyTeam will strengthen our offer in the southeastern part of China and the cross-strait markets,” said
While we further capitalise on the expanding network, our members in China will work together to enhance alliance-wide benefits for our customers.”
With the recent joining of China Airlines to SkyTeam, it seems that that SkyTeam is really going after the lucrative Chinese and China/Taiwan traffic. It also increases SkyTeam’s footprint in China itself with China Southern, China Eastern and Shanghai Airlines all SkyTeam members, whilst Air China is the Star Alliance representative (with Shenzhen Airlines joining soon) and OneWorld having DragonAir and Cathay Pacific in the area.
Certainly, China is hotting up as one of the big aviation targets to come.
Not a huge carrier but another boost in China. China Southern has long treated SkyTeam elites very well, often granting lounge acces on domestic flights without same-day international connections, which is what the official rule is.
Filling in more Chinese airlines is great since most of the air network in China is designed as point-to-point, not all airports handled connections (domestic or international) well.
One time I redeemed NW miles on China Southern PEK-CAN-KUL in economy, the PEK-CAN flight was delayed but as a SkyTeam ElitePlus they had a guy on the jetbridge in CAN with my name on a sign. He saw me, said “run!” and we were off, taking me through the bowels of the airport, across the luggage handling areas and emerging up at immigration, bypassing the huge hassle that is domestic to international connections at CAN. The CAN-KUL plane was held for me and after boarding we were off.