From US Today 2017/3/28
BEIJING (AP) — American Airlines has agreed to pay $200 million for a stake i
n China Southern Airlines, the biggest of China's three major state-owned carr
iers, in a bid for a bigger share of the country's growing travel market.
American and China Southern will expand commercial cooperation, possibly in sa
les, airport facilities and code-sharing, the Chinese airline said in an annou
ncement Tuesday through the Hong Kong stock exchange. It said the deal represe
nts 2.76% of China Southern's shares and requires regulatory approval.
Foreign carriers are forging steadily closer ties with Chinese airlines to gai
n a bigger share of China's air travel market, which is growing strongly while
travel in Europe and North America is leveling off. In exchange, Chinese carr
iers get access to experience and management skills.
China is forecast to pass North America over the next two decades as the bigge
st air travel market.
China's economic growth is slowing but tourism spending is rising as communist
leaders encourage growth of service businesses in an effort to reduce relianc
e on heavy industry.
Chinese spending on air travel rose 10.6% in 2015, compared with 1.7% in the U
nited States, according to the International Air Travel Association.
Two years ago, Delta Airlines paid $450 million for 3.55% of China Eastern Air
lines. The third major U.S. carrier, United Airlines, has a partnership with A
ir China, the third major Chinese government-owned airline. Hong Kong-based Ca
thay Pacific Airlines owns 18% of Air China.
Regulators in both China and the United States are reluctant to allow large fo
reign ownership stakes or management control of their airlines.
China Southern, headquartered in Guangzhou, near Hong Kong, is China's biggest
carrier by passenger volume but is known for sometimes haphazard service, wit
h flights delayed or canceled with little notice.
节录如下：
美航花200M取得南航2.76%的股权。进行在机场设施和codesharing的合作。