China Southern Airlines says it will, for the first time in its history, carry more than 40 Million passengers in one year. 
 
Mr. Li Kun , executive vice president, China Southern Airlines points to several areas which boosted China Southern's accelerated growth in 2004:

Firstly, airline mergers -- The complete integration of Xinjiang Airlines and China Northern Airlines into the China Southern group has rapidly expanded the airline's domestic market share while further deepening China Southern's flight operations into markets such as Shenyang, Dalian, Harbin, and Changchun and Urumqi .

On the international front, the former China Northern Airlines provides China Southern customers with regular service to 29 International routes to North Asia and Russia. From Urumqi, the former Xinjiang Airlines offers passengers seven International routes to major cities in the Middle East, Russia and West Asia.

Secondly, new FFP customers -- With the merger of the two airlines have come tens of thousands of new frequent flyers to China Southern's Sky Pearl Club which now total's more than 2.5 Million members.

Thirdly, New Baiyun International Airport -- After more than a decade of planning, the new Baiyun International Airport in Guangzhou opened August 5th this year and stands as China's largest airport and one of the world's finest air transportation complexes.

In 2004, China Southern Airlines revamped its operations into a "total hub concept" which quickly moves in-bound International passengers to beyond destinations throughout China as well as providing a platform for the airline's booming domestic point-to-point air service.

(CRIENGLISH.com December 24, 2004)