SkyTeam Signs Agreement With China Southern Airlines Agreement Preliminary Step in New Member Joining Process GUANGZHOU, China, Aug. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- SkyTeam today announced that the alliance has signed an agreement with China Southern Airlines, the largest carrier in the People's Republic of China. The agreement is a preliminary step in the new member process and outlines China Southern's intentions to undertake exclusive discussions to become a part of the SkyTeam alliance, pending fulfillment of the alliance's joining requirements. The signing ceremony, which took place in Guangzhou, was attended by Mr. Yang Yuanyuan, Minister of Civil Aviation Administration of China, Mr. Huang Huahua, Governor of Guangdong Province, Mr. Zhao Xizi, Chairman of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, Mr. Yan Zhiqing, Chairman of China Southern Airlines, Mr. Liu Mingqi, Vice Chairman of China Southern Airlines, as well as Mr. Yang-Ho Cho, Chairman and CEO of Korean Air and Mr. Jean-Cyril Spinetta, Chairman and CEO of Air France as representatives of SkyTeam member airlines. "SkyTeam has long expressed interest in working with a Chinese partner, given the vast growth potential of the Chinese market. The agreement signed today illustrates SkyTeam's objective to align with airlines that provide its passengers and members with the most forward-looking benefits," said Mr. Cho. "As a strategic partner for the alliance, China Southern will help us provide greater access to the country and region." "This agreement signing event is an important step forward into the future for China Southern Airlines to adapt itself to the need of further reforms and opening to the international community, as it will strengthen the airline's international cooperation and global competitiveness," said Mr. Yan Zhiqing, Chairman of China Southern Airlines. He added that, "After joining Sky Team, the all-new Baiyun International Airport will be the first hub airport in China for SkyTeam. This new hub base will -- at the same time -- bring about new opportunities and growth for China Southern Airlines." China is one of the fastest growing aviation markets and Guangzhou is one of the country's most affluent regions with promising growth opportunities. As China Southern's main base, Guangzhou is also a key transportation center in southern China. The new Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, which opened earlier this month, will complement SkyTeam's strong hub network and further expand the alliance's Asian offerings. China Southern is also preparing a new facility in Beijing to serve customers. The agreement signed today lays the groundwork for China Southern to officially join the alliance; an event to occur once the carrier fulfills SkyTeam's requirements for quality standards. Currently, three SkyTeam member airlines, Air France, Delta Air Lines and Korean Air, have relationships with the airline. In addition, soon-to-be member KLM has a strong relationship with China Southern on both passenger and cargo services. With a fleet of 140 aircraft, China Southern serves 21 million passengers annually and operates 334 routes, serving 94 destinations including Los Angeles, Sydney, Singapore, Amsterdam, Paris, Seoul and Tokyo. About China Southern Airlines China Southern Airlines is the largest airline in The People's Republic of China in terms of fleet size, number of routes, annual passenger and cargo volume. At present, China Southern Airlines is under consolidation with former China Northern Airlines and Xinjiang Airlines. After the consolidation, China Southern Airlines will have a fleet of 215 aircraft, over 660 routes and serve about 30 million passengers annually, accounting for one third of the market share in the Chinese civil aviation. About SkyTeam SkyTeam is the global airline alliance partnering Aeromexico, Air France, Alitalia, CSA Czech Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Korean Air. Through one of the world's most extensive hub networks, SkyTeam offers its 218 million annual passengers a worldwide system of more than 8,300 daily flights covering all major destinations. Visit SkyTeam on the Web at http://www.skyteam.com/ . DATASOURCE: SkyTeam CONTACT: SkyTeam Communications, +1-646-935-4161 (in the U.S.) Web site: http://www.skyteam.com/

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