Chinese Air Carrier Interested in Flying to Argentina

A delegation of China´s Southern Air Holding Company voiced interest this week in expanding operations to Argentina, the South American country´s Air Transportation Minister Ricardo Cirielli informed this week.

Execs from one of China´s top air companies sat down with Mr. Cirielli to tune up the mechanisms that would implement an agreement that had been inked with Aerolineas Argentinas -run by Spain´s Marsans Group- in the summer of 2004.

Sources close to the negotiations told CND that Southern Air Holding Co. is interested in collaborating with Lineas Aereas del Estado (LAE) and Aerolineas Argentinas on a regular and businesslike basis.

With LAE, the Chinese carrier expects to increase cargo flown to and from Africa, while the agreement with Aerolineas Argentinas will open Southern Air Holding Co. to the possibility of making good on an accord that would move far more tourists and business travelers to and from China, with a number of transit points in Europe well covered.