CHINA SOUTHERN AIRLINES TO OPERATE NONSTOP MELBOURNE - CHINA FLIGHTS …… AND MORE SYDNEY SERVICES

China Southern Airlines has announced a significant expansion of its services from Australia to China, including the first nonstop flights from Melbourne to Guangzhou, and daily nonstop flights from Sydney to Guangzhou during the peak Christmas-New Year period.

Effective from 29October, the airline will replace its current Airbus A330 aircraft with larger Boeing 777-200 twinjets on services from Australia.

The biggest news is the introduction of twice-weekly nonstop flights from Melbourne, departing at 10.40am every Monday and Thursday, and arriving in Guangzhou at 5.00pm.

These services will be operated with three-class Boeing 777s seating 282 passengers - 24 in Business Class, 51 in Premium Economy Class and 207 in Economy Class.

The change eliminates the need for passengers from Melbourne to fly via Sydney, and provides onward connections from Guangzhou to a range of destinations throughout China.

From Sydney to Guangzhou, China Southern will increase from an initial five weekly flights to daily services during the peak travel months of December, January and February.

From 30 October until 28 November , the airline will operate five weekly nonstop flights from Sydney, departing at 10.50am each Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and arriving in Guangzhou at 5.15 pm.

From 30 November until 01 March, two more weekly flights will be introduced from Sydney - a Thursday flight also departing at 10.50am, and a Monday service, leaving Sydney at 12.20pm.

The five-flight schedule will resume between 02 March and 29 March.

All of the Sydney services will be operated with two-class Boeing 777s, seating 340 passengers – 24 in Business Class and 316 in Economy Class.

China Southern Airlines is the largest carrier in China, and the ninth largest in the world. The airline continues to grow strongly, adding new routes within China, to elsewhere in Asia, and in selected long haul markets. China Southern also has placed orders for a wide range of new aircraft, ranging from narrow-bodied Boeing 737s and Airbus A320 family twinjets to the brand new, ultra long haul Boeing 787 “Dreamliner” and the new Airbus A380 super jumbo.

For information about China Southern Airlines, or to make a booking, contact your travel agent, or call China Southern Airlines reservations in Sydney on 02 9233 9788 or in Melbourne on 03 8676 0088, or visit www.cs-air.com/en.