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Delta Air Lines is putting the 3 other largest domestic carriers to shame in the on-time arrivals derby. Delta finished February — a month in the middle of winter — with a remarkable 83.6% of flights arriving on time, according to February data released OAG. Delta’s February performance is even more remarkable considering that its closest competitor, United Airlines, managed to get 78.6% of its flights to the gate on time — meaning No. 2 United was a full 5 percentage points behind Delta. In February, United was busy rebanking flights out of its largest hub at O’Hare International. American Airlines continued to lag both United and Delta. American finished February with 77.% of flights arriving on time. Southwest was in fourth place with 77.1% of flights arriving on time. <br/>

China Southern Airlines has set up a branch company in the southwestern Chinese province Yunnan, a stronghold of rival China Eastern Airlines. Eight new China Southern domestic routes from Yunnan will be opened in March and a service to Islamabad, Pakistan, from provincial capital Kunming will begin in June, the carrier said. These moves by China Southern support a govt policy to use Yunnan as a hub through which to connect with the economies of neighbouring countries in South and Southeast Asia. The branch company was established in Kunming March 6, China Southern said. Branch companies are treated by authorities preferentially in the allocation of service rights and runway slots. Yunnan is also growing strongly as a domestic market for air transportation, because of its tourism attractions. <br/>