CHINA SOUTHERN OFFERS SPECIAL FARES TO AGENTS FOR ANSETT HONG KONG PASSENGERS

China Southern Airlines, the largest carrier in China, has released to Australian travel agents a series of special fares to Guangzhou (Canton) and other Chinese ports, for exclusive use by passengers stranded by the collapse of Ansett Australia.

Many China-bound passengers had used Ansett's flights from Sydney and Melbourne to Hong Kong before transferring to other carriers for onward journeys into China.

The China Southern fares enable travel agents to offer special prices to former Ansett passengers, provided they can present unused Ansett tickets to Hong Kong and other destinations in China. Fare details are available from agents.

China Southern operates two weekly Boeing 777-IGW (increased gross weight) flights on the Melbourne - Sydney - Guangzhou route, and a third weekly service from Sydney to Guangzhou.

These flights connect with China Southern services to other Chinese cities including Beijing and Shanghai.

As well as being the largest and most progressive carrier in its homeland, China Southern will soon be the second largest airline in Asia, when mergers are complete with China Northern and Xinjiang Airlines, which would create a total fleet of more than 160 Boeing and Airbus jetliners.