Chairman of the SkyTeam governing board Leo van Wijk (left) and China Eastern Airlines Chairman Liu Shaoyong shake hands at a signing ceremony of the carrier's membership in SkyTeam yesterday.
2010-4-17
By Winny Wang
CHINA Eastern Airlines will join the SkyTeam alliance in the first half of next year to gain access to the grouping's global network, the carrier said yesterday.
The Shanghai-based carrier yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding with the alliance, which includes China Southern Airlines and Air France-KLM. The membership will give China Eastern access to 856 destinations in 169 countries across world.
"Joining an international airline alliance is China Eastern Airlines' strategic deployment to continuously strengthen core profitability and boost market competitiveness," said Liu Shaoyong, chairman of the carrier.
"The participation will help us improve (our) main business, especially business-class and first-class seats on international routes. It will support us to achieve the target to break even this year and make profit next year for the main business," Liu said.
The carrier will begin cooperation with alliance members during the 2010 World Expo, such as on flight connections.
Liu also said the carrier still welcomes airlines of other alliances to become its strategic investor. SkyTeam groups nine members and two associate airlines.
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