Oneworld confirms it has sounded out China Southern Airlines to join

The courtship of another Chinese carrier to enter the same global airline group as Cathay Pacific might pay off, as Oneworld acknowledged it could deepen its coverage in China, the alliance boss said. Rob Gurney, the CEO of oneworld, said it had yet to start formal talks with the mainland’s biggest airline China Southern, after the group’s biannual board meeting in New York last week. The alliance indicated it had spoken to the carrier but not since it announced its exit from the rival Skyteam alliance. “There are no formal discussions underway with China Southern,” Gurney said, despite the alliance’s obvious lack of presence in mainland China, the world’s second-biggest air travel market, unlike the rival Skyteam and Star Alliance groups. “There are still areas where we can potentially deepen our coverage, there is no doubt about that. We are talking to potential members to help meet some of that,” he said. This has meant its members have sought deals outside its core grouping, such as Qantas pairing with Skyteam’s China Eastern. But Gurney acknowledged that the alliance had been speaking to the mainland carrier. “We haven’t spoken to them [China Southern Airlines] since it has happened. And you know we have got a fantastic partner in Cathay Pacific, a Chinese airline, and they remain really important to us,” he said. Gurney name-checked the Hong Kong carrier, which stands to be most affected, highlighting the sensitivity of adding a mainland Chinese airline which could serve Oneworld better and provide its members with more access to domestic flights in China, even for Cathay fliers travelling within the country.<br/>