China Southern: New policy will boost traffic from Gulf countries

Foreign nationals from 45 countries holding a third-country visa and onward airline ticketing can now stay in Chinese province of Guangdong up to 72 hours without an entry visa to China, China Southern Airlines said.

China Southern Airlines, which is operating daily flights to Dubai, said with the new move starting from August 1, Guangzhou joins Beijing and Shanghai as 72-hour border visa-free cities.

Rayomand Kasad, assistant sales manager of China Southern Airlines said foreign nationals from 45 countries and regions holding valid passports as well as connecting passenger tickets with set travel dates, are now qualified to depart Baiyun International Airport Guangzhou without needing a Chinese visa and will have free and unfettered access throughout Guangzhou Province during the 72-hour transit period.

“Eligible foreign passengers may apply with their carrier airline, which then will declare to its border control authorities at the airport of departure and may temporarily enter Guangdong upon meeting the conditions by the frontier inspection authorities,” he said at a Press conference.

Kasad said implementation of this policy is expected to substantially promote tourist traffic from the Gulf countries to China. China Southern Airlines has been one of the active promoters for the 72-hour transit visa facility at Baiyun International Airport Guangzhou. As a Guangzhou-headquartered company, China Southern Airlines has ramped-up its international strategy by actively promoting the Guangzhou brand as it works to built Guangzhou into an international aviation hub.

Currently, China Southern Airlines operates 44 international routes from its Guangzhou hub, with service to 37 countries and regions and more than 90 domestic flights. China Southern Airlines’ Guangzhou hub has raised the number of transit passengers of all international routes, accounting for 50 per cent of all passengers.

In 2012, China Southern Airlines carried 340,000 international arrivals in Guangzhou and in the first half of 2013, the sixth traffic rights passengers transported by China Southern Airlines at it’s Guangzhou hub has reached 210,000 arrivals, an increase of 41.5 per cent year-on-year.

With the implementation of the new policy, the airline can expect transit passengers by China Southern flights will exceed 500,000 arrivals in Guangzhou.

In conformity with this new 72-hour visa policy, China Southern Airlines has specifically designed a series of customized services and products, providing transit passengers with one-stop professional quality services, Kasad said.

In addition to its substantial daily route services, China Southern Airlines will put its latest aircraft available for its Guangzhou departures. The airline is currently stationing its new Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 Dreamliners for international flights departing from Guangzhou, providing exceptional First and Business Class cabin facilities.Source: khaleejtimes.com