China Southern Airlines is a Chinese passenger airline headquartered in Guangzhou. Its business includes domestic, regional and international air services, supported by branches and airline subsidiaries across China. The listed company was established on 25 March 1995.[1][2]
Corporate development
China Southern’s corporate history includes the development of the airline organisation before the formation of China Southern Airlines Company Limited in 1995. The company listed in Hong Kong and New York in 1997, followed by Shanghai in 2003. These milestones describe the expansion of its corporate and financing structure alongside its air transport business.[1][2]
Domestic network and Beijing operations
The airline’s organisation includes regional branches and controlled subsidiaries, including Xiamen Airlines. Its services extend across domestic, regional and international markets. Beijing Daxing became an important additional operating location when China Southern established operations there in 2019. Its Beijing ground-services company supports airport handling and connecting passengers at that base.[2][3]
Boeing 787 introduction
China Southern received its first Boeing 787 on 31 May 2013, becoming the first Chinese airline to take delivery of the type. The aircraft represented a new widebody generation for the airline, with Boeing and China Southern marking the delivery in Everett. The milestone concerned the first aircraft handover, distinct from the later development of the airline’s 787 fleet and route assignments.[4]
Departure from SkyTeam
China Southern announced that it would not renew its SkyTeam membership agreement from 1 January 2019. It then undertook a transition during 2019, with a subsequent announcement confirming that it would officially leave the alliance on 1 January 2020. The two dates refer to different stages of the withdrawal. Historical descriptions of the airline as a SkyTeam member therefore require a date rather than being treated as its current alliance status.[5][6]