Qantas and China Southern have signed a codeshare agreement, opening up travel options for Chinese tourists to Australia and Australian travellers to China.
Under the deal, Qantas customers will be able to book China Southern services from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth to Guangzhou – China’s third largest city – as well as four onward destinations within China – Xiamen, Kunming, Fuzhou and Urumqi.
The arrangement also allows China Southern customers to book on 10 different Qantas routes within Australia and to New Zealand.
Qantas now shares commercial relationships with China’s three biggest carriers in Greater China through codeshare agreements with China Southern and China Eastern, and through its oneworld relationship with Cathay Pacific.
“Partnership is key to our strategy in Asia and we’re very pleased to now have China Southern as one of our codeshare partners in the world’s fastest growing aviation market,” said Qantas Group Chief Executive Officer Alan Joyce.
China Southern Chairman, Si Xianmin said the agreement between China Southern and Qantas Airways would help set a new model for China Southern to explore other international markets.
The two airlines have also agreed to cooperate in pilot training assistance from Qantas and cargo opportunities.
The new codeshare services are expected to be available for booking and travel from early 2014, pending regulatory approval.
Qantas operates daily flights between Hong Kong and Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane and a daily flight between Shanghai and Sydney. Guangzhou-based China Southern Airlines flies twice daily between both Sydney and Melbourne and Guangzhou, daily from Brisbane and three times weekly from Perth.
From December 4, the airline will offer 10 services a week (up from daily flights) from Auckland to Guangzhou. Most recently China Southern started its A380 operations between Guangzhou and Sydney. ■
