China Southern Airlines plays a vital and growing role in connecting Melbourne with Asia. As China’s largest airline, one of its important strategic routes is between Melbourne and China’s third largest city, Guangzhou, which is a major transport and trading hub.
In 2010, the airline increased the number of flights on the Melbourne–Guangzhou route from three per week to seven, lifting passenger capacity 76 per cent. It carried 79,550 passengers on the route last year, including 51,836 international visitors who generated $86 million for the local economy.
China Southern Airlines is continuing to invest in the Melbourne–Guangzhou route, with plans to double its weekly flights, and taking it from one flight per day to two.