China Eastern unites with Delta to gain edge at Beijing’s Daxing

China’s third largest airline is teaming up with the world’s most valuable and profitable carrier in a bid to secure an edge over its rivals at Beijing’s new seven-runway airport, setting the stage for cutthroat competition when it opens in 2019. As the country’s three big state-owned carriers look for the advantage, with the airport being built in Beijing’s southern suburb of Daxing, China Eastern Airlines will tap into US giant Delta’s operational experience that helped with the success of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the Post has learned. China Eastern is poised to relocate to the capital’s new US$12.9b Beijing Daxing International Airport within two years to challenge flagship carrier Air China, which will remain at the existing Beijing Capital Airport. China Southern, China Eastern and Air China currently compete from their “home” airports in Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing respectively. Each currently runs smaller operations in rival cities, but will now compete for the first time on a much bigger scale in the same city. With its new home, China Eastern is hoping to attract transfer passengers and expand its customer base. It is counting on the experience of Delta. “With new infrastructure developments [coming], that will give China Eastern a tremendous uplift, and they can base aircraft over there and set up a very sizeable network,” said Delta’s China president, Wong Hong. “We see that as a very strong second hub we develop, together with Delta. We have a lot of experience in developing hubs in the United States, so using that experience, working with China Eastern, we are so excited to partner with them, expanding a market like Beijing.”<br/>