Chinese airlines' sixth freedom roles could challenge Middle East, Asian, European hubs this decade

Signs are now emerging of the enormous - and largely unanticipated - impact that China's airline industry will have on the international network as this decade rolls out. It will significantly tilt the world airline system.

China's airlines have expanded remarkably since 2000, but most of that growth has been in the domestic arena, responding to the country's rapid economic rise. It is only more recently that the airlines, with Central Government encouragement, have begun to focus more on international routes.

There are obstacles to be overcome. Service quality is typically not at the standards expected of the Asia Pacific region carriers; marketing and distribution remains a problem; yield management systems have been inadequate; and limited networks still make achievement of critical mass a challenge.

Yet Chinese airlines have two great advantages when it comes to operating sixth freedom network roles: they have a massive and growing third and fourth freedom market; and they are geographically strategically placed to service traffic flows from all countries to the south, connecting with North America and Western Europe using the effective north Polar routing. Additionally, they have relatively low cost bases.