Tuesday 4 January 2011

In 2010, which marked the alliance’s tenth anniversary, SkyTeam welcomed into the alliance Vietnam airlines and TAROM, and announced the future membership of China Eastern and China Airlines in 2011. Garuda in Indonesia and Aerolineas Argentinas in South America have also signed an agreement to join the alliance in 2012. SkyTeam will thus comprise 17 member airlines.

In Asia
In 2011, China Eastern, the second-largest Chinese airline and China Airlines, the fifth airline from the Asia-Pacific region, will join the SkyTeam alliance. They will partner the Asian carriers already present within the alliance: China Southern, Korean Air and Vietnam Airlines.

China Eastern, whose head office is located in Shanghai, is situated in the most economically-developed region and the fastest growing city of China. With over 150 destinations in China and abroad, China Eastern boasts a vast network. China Eastern, which will bring 25 unique new destinations to the SkyTeam network, serves South-East Asia, Europe, North America, South Africa and Australia.

Thanks to its hub in Shanghai and those of China Southern in Guangzhou and Beijing, SkyTeam will offer flights out of the three main Chinese cities.

Based in Tapei, China Airlines is the largest Taiwanese airline. Its entry into SkyTeam marks an important step in the efforts made by Taiwan to become one of Asia’s most important transport and business hubs.

Out of its 93 international routes in Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania, China Airlines will bring four new destinations to SkyTeam: Okinawa, Miyazaki, Surabaya and Palau.

China Airlines and China Eastern’s networks will complement China Southern’s network and consolidate the presence of SkyTeam in Greater China, a major centre of economic power in Asia.

In China, the AIR FRANCE-KLM Group currently offers with its partners China Southern, China Eastern, China Airlines and Shanghai Airlines flights to 135 destinations.

With Garuda Indonesia, Indonesia’s national carrier, SkyTeam will extend its network in South-East Asia and Australia in 2012.

Garuda offers a vast domestic and regional network, and can provide even greater coverage and better connections to destinations in the Asia-Pacific. Surabaya in East Java, Medan in North Sumatra, or Perth in Australia are just some of the 30 new destinations included in the SkyTeam network.

In South America
In 2012, Argentina’s national carrier, Aerolíneas Argentinas, will be the first South-American airline to join SkyTeam, allowing the alliance to extend its network in South America and the Southern hemisphere. Its vast domestic and regional network will bring 38 new destinations to the alliance, including Cordoba, Mendoza, Asuncion and Montevideo.

SkyTeam will offer flights to and from Buenos Aires, the hub in Latin America, to and from key destinations in the region, offering customers even better access to the Southern-most destinations in South America and especially Patagonia, which are popular destinations with travellers worldwide.

Find out more about SkyTeam
SkyTeam is aglobal alliance offering customers of member airlines access to a vast global network with an increasing number of destinations, frequencies and connecting opportunities.

The alliance encompasses 13 member airlines РAeroflot, Aerom̩xico, Air Europa, Air France, Alitalia, China Southern, Czech Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Kenya Airways, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Korean Air, TAROM, and Vietnam Airlines.