China Southern Airlines and Xinjiang Airport Group signed a strategic cooperation agreement on July 29 to establish partnership in promoting the construction of the Urumqi International Aviation Hub and the high-quality development of civil aviation in Xinjiang.
The two sides will strengthen cooperation in areas such as route network layout, transfer efficiency improvement, industry integration, resource sharing, and the construction of a free trade pilot zone. This cooperation aims at the high-quality development of civil aviation in Xinjiang.
(Photo provided by China Southern Airlines)
Ma Xulun, Chairman and Secretary of the Party Leadership Group of China Southern Air Holding Company Limited, said that as the largest airline company in Xinjiang, China Southern Airlines attaches great importance to the Xinjiang market. Since the beginning of this year, the airline has invested in up to 110 aircraft in Xinjiang, reaching a record high. In July, the monthly international passenger transport volume at Urumqi Airport exceeded pre-COVID levels. Next, China Southern Airlines will serve national major strategies and make every effort to build the Urumqi International Aviation Hub, making more contributions to the development of Xinjiang.
This year, China Southern Airlines has further strengthened the construction of the Urumqi hub, continuously increased, restored, and opened new international and regional routes. It has newly opened routes from Urumqi to Samarkand and Urumqi-Kashgar-Islamabad, and resumed routes from Urumqi to Hong Kong SAR and Moscow.
Currently, preparations are underway to resume the Istanbul route and open a new route to Yerevan. In the first half of the year, China Southern Airlines operated 101 routes in Xinjiang, including 83 domestic routes and 18 international and regional routes, with a 5.8% increase in effective connection opportunities at Urumqi Airport year on year.
(Photo provided by China Southern Airlines)
In terms of ground operation guarantee, the MCT (Minimum Connect Time) for international-to-domestic transfers by China Southern Airlines at Urumqi Airport has been reduced from 110 minutes at the beginning of the year to 100 minutes. This has created an additional 81 connecting flight opportunities, further facilitating passenger transit travel. In addition to operations, China Southern Airlines has optimized and enriched transfer services.
Both sides jointly called for the promotion and implementation of the 144-hour visa-free transit policy and international baggage through check-in service. China's National Immigration Administration has implemented the 144-hour visa-free transit policy in 37 ports in Beijing, Tianjin, and other cities.
Reporter | Hannah
Editor | Nan, Monica, James
