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| · May 14, 2003 · |
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· New China UnionPay Accord To Further Develop China Southern Airlines' E-ticket Business GUANGZHOU, China - China Southern Airlines (NYSE: ZNH) (HKSE: 1055), the largest airline in The People's Republic of China, is pleased to announce a new strategic cooperation agreement with China UnionPay www.chinaunionpay.com.
China UnionPay will provide the most advanced Internet E-ticket payment system for China Southern Airline's E-ticket sales. Using China UnionPay's massive Internet payment platform and bank card service network, passenger now can easily purchase China Southern airline tickets through immediate Internet access. China UnionPay bank members total more than 450 Million bankcard customers who are now able to buy airline tickets from the safety and comfort of their home or office and simply claim their boarding pass at any China Southern Airlines' E-ticket airport counter In 2002, China Southern recorded E-ticket sales of $72 Million (US). 2003 Internet revenues are expected to top out at more than $193 Million (US). Holding steady, this would place China Southern Airlines as the #1 E-business leader in China's civil aviation marketplace. "We will continuously explore the E-ticket business, extend the service into more cities, thoroughly upgrade the E-ticket system into a perfectly functional system and use this cutting-edge technology to meld the connection of reservations, booking, flight departures, revenue accounting and tariff," said Mr. Yan Zhi Qing, President, China Southern Air Holding Company & Chairman of China Southern Airlines Company Ltd. Mr. Yan added that the airline is, "demonstrating China Southern's brand value of 'convenience and quickness', gradually improving the proportion of E-ticket sales in China Southern's sales revenues, making China Southern one of the leading E-business airlines within China." China Southern was the first airline in China to start Internet sales business on February 1, 1999 ... and sold the first domestic E-ticket on March 28, 2000. During the past three years, China Southern Airlines has gradually built up its service network while continuously expanding its E-business platform to the B-to-C and B-to-B customers and is currently available in 33 major metropolitan cities across China, including Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Wuhan. China UnionPay Company Ltd. is a major finance service union with more than 100 bank members, including: China Agriculture Bank; China Construction Bank; China Merchants Bank; China Minsheng Banking Corp.; Bank of Communications; Bank of China; Industrial and Commercial Bank of China; Guangdong Development Bank, Ltd., and Shenzhen Development Bank. This successful and mutually beneficial cooperation of two giants in the aviation and financial industries will significantly aid in the improved development of airline E-business in China ... allowing more customers to purchase airline tickets through the Internet and use E-tickets throughout their travels. The largest airline in The People's Republic of China for the past 23 years, China Southern Airlines www.cs-air.com/en connects more than 80 cities around the globe. Major business and vacation destinations served in China include: Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Guilin, Hong Kong, Kunming, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Wuhan and as well as international service, including: Amsterdam, Bangkok, Fukuoka, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Islamabad, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Los Angeles, Manila, Melbourne, Moscow, Osaka, Penang, Phnom Penh, Seoul, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo. For China Southern Airlines reservations and information, please contact your local travel agent. Media Contact: Jeff Ruffolo Senior Advisor International Public Relations 909-734-6141 RuffoloPR@aol.com |
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