China South Airlines to expand fleet in Shenzhen

China Southern Airlines' Shenzhen Branch announced plans to add five A321s to its 25-aircraft fleet between Mar-2010 and Sep-2010 to expand its presence in Shenzhen, and as part of efforts to attract premium passengers (SinoCast Daily, 15-Mar-2010). The new aircraft will represent the largest expansion of the Shenzhen branch. The first aircraft, scheduled for delivery on 21-Mar-2010, will be deployed on services to Shanghai, increasing frequency on the sector from daily to nine-times weekly, to take advantage of the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai. The second aircraft (scheduled for delivery on 11-Apr-2010) will be predominantly deployed to Hangzhou and Chengdu, while the third aircraft (to be delivered on 11-May-2010) will serve Xi'an, Nanjing, Chongqing and Kunming. The aircraft will be configured with 182 seats, including 12 First Class seats. From 2010 to 2015, China Southern Airlines will add a further 25 to 30 aircraft to the branch.