China Southern Airlines

www.csair.com

Types of Travelers

Business Travlers

4/5

Decent business class services on long haul flights

Family Traveler

3/5

Competitive pricing for both domestic and international flights

Backpacker
Adventure Traveler

4/5

Service to some of China’s best adventure destinations

Student
Budget Traveler

4/5

Competitive pricing to major destinations

Elderly
Disabled Traveler

4/5

Average accessibility on larger aircraft

Long Term Traveler

2/5

Other airlines have greater reach in Asia

Novice Traveler

2/5

Not the most user-friendly airline

Introduction

China Southern Airlines is one of China’s national airlines. It is one of the largest airlines in the world in terms of number of passengers carried. It is Asia’s largest airline in terms of both fleet size and passengers carried (averaging 40 million per year). China Southern is also one of the most internationally successful carriers in Mainland China. It became the first airline to join an international alliance when it joined Sky Team recently.

China Southern Airlines is a young airline. It started operations in 1989 and began long haul service (to Los Angeles and Amsterdam) in the mid-nineties. It was the first airline to take a Boeing 777 twin engine across the Pacific without re-fueling.

Ratings

Important Factors 3/5

Average Delay

72%

Cancelled Flights
(average per month)

Less than 1%

Customer Satisfaction Rating

3 out of 5 stars

Types of Aircraft

Airbus A300, A319, A320, A321, A330, A380, Boeing 737, 757, 777, 787, McDonnell Douglas MD-90-30

General 4/5

Number of Domestic Flights (Daily)

Number of International Flights (Daily)

Size of Fleet

349

Major Airports and Destinations Served

Bangkok, Guangzhou, Brisbane, Beijing, Chicago, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh, Jakarta, Seoul, Shanghai, Manila

Location of Hub

Beijing Capital International Airport Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport

Countries Served

Philippines, China, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, US, Australia, Russia, Burma

Number of Routes

Most Popular Routes

Guangzhou-Singapore; Dalian-Nagoya; Shanghai-Nagoya; Chicago-Anchorage; Shanghai-Anchorage; Yanji-Seoul; Anchorage-New York

In-Flight 3/5

Which Routes offer Meal Service?

All flights have at least snack and beverage, long hauls offer hot meals at meal times

Food Quality

Good

In-flight Menu

Sandwiches, local cuisine, fruits and vegetables

Average Leg Room

30-33 inches

Types of In-flight Entertainment

Movies on longer flights, in flight magazine

Baggage 4/5

Baggage Fees

None

Number of Bags Allowed

1 bag economy, 2 premium economy, 3 business class

Weight Limits and Restrictions

50 lbs per bag

Web Site 2/5

Online Check-in

Yes

Web Site Usability

Below average

Special Needs 3/5

Handicap Accessibility

Standard accessibility

Pets

In cargo only, charged as excess baggage

Special Offers /Partners 4/5

Airline Alliance Membership

SkyTeam

Hotel Partners

Sky Pearl Club

Competing Airlines

China Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Eva Air

Strengths

Good reach throughout China
Good selection of long haul flights
Good international routes

Weaknesses

Not as high quality as other competitors (such as Cathay Pacific)
Limited in-flight entertainment on shorter flights

Frequent Flier Program and Airport Lounges

China Southern has a frequent flier program known as the Sky Pearl Club. Members can earn miles by flying with the airline and also be flying with other airlines that are members of the SkyTeam alliance. Because many of China Southern’s international routes start in Europe and the US, it is possible to earn a high amount of miles. Members can also earn status points that can quality them for perks like lounge access and upgrades to premium classes.

Conclusion

China Southern Airlines offers service to the major destinations in Eastern and Southern China. It has competitive pricing and often has lower fares than its competition (the quality of its in-flight experience is also usually lower than the competition). It has nearly global reach, making it possible for fliers to get to Mainland China’s boomtowns like Dalian and Guangzhou directly from the US and Europe.