China's airlines accelerate international growth; possible Hainan Air interest in Virgin America

The international growth of Chinese airlines is increasingly evident. Air China will have upwards of three daily flights to Los Angeles; China Eastern has received investment from Delta Air Lines; Xiamen Airlines will launch four long haul routes in 10 months; and Hainan Airlines has invested in airlines as far flung as Brazil and South Africa. Closer to home, visitors from China are the number one source market for many Asian countries and growing fast.

Chinese airlines have been growing at double digit rates in international and domestic markets for a number of years. It is only in recent times that international growth has taken its place in a structural shift where international gains more prominence.

In 2016 Air China could fly more internationally than domestically. China Southern has increased international's share of capacity from 27% in 2014 to a projected 34% in 2016. Chinese airlines are realising their potential, are benefitting from increased outbound travel demand and are being pushed by the government to grow internationally. Yet as much as Chinese airlines have already had an impact, there is no sign that they have yet reached their peak. The growth of international traffic on Chinese airlines in the 12 months of 2015 was the same as in the previous three years combined.