oneworld Alliance is reportedly considering adding China Southern Airlines to its group. The same rumor flew around years ago when China Southern left the SkyTeam alliance, but could things be different this time?

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Will China Southern join oneworld?

China Southern Airlines left the SkyTeam Alliance four years ago and now has close ties with several airlines that are oneworld members. Qatar Airways and American Airlines, two major oneworld Alliance airlines, both have stakes of about 5% in China Southern. British Airways also has an extensive commercial partnership with China Southern, and the Chinese airline is a codeshare partner of Finnair.

China Southern is China's largest airline. The airline has two major hubs, one in Beijing and the other in Guangzhou, southern China, where its headquarters is located. Before the pandemic, China had one of the world's fastest-growing aviation markets, and bringing a Chinese airline into the alliance could be essential for other airlines.

Airbus A319neo China Southern Airlines
Photo: Airbus

oneworld stated that it could not comment on prospective members and negotiations and the specifics of conversations until a point is reached that a public announcement can be made.

"With international travel recovering from the pandemic, alliances have become even more important by offering global connectivity for airlines and their customers."

British Airways and American Airlines, two leading members of the oneworld Alliance, have been very supportive of China Southern's prospective joining. At the moment, China Southern has not filed an official application to join oneworld.

Could Cathay Pacific and China Southern Airlines coexist?

Four years ago, when China Southern left the SkyTeam alliance, Simple Flying analyzed what it would be like for Cathay Pacific if China Southern joined oneworld. Cathay Pacific and China Southern's headquarters are located within 100 miles of each other, and logically, the two airlines being members of the same alliance seems complicated.

Cathay Pacifc aircraft
Photo: Cathay Pacific Group

In 2018, Simple Flying reported that China Southern had no desire to compete with Cathay Pacific, opening up the possibility of a joint-venture agreement. At the time, the two airlines had completely different focuses, with Cathay Pacific focusing on long-haul international travel and China Southern focusing on domestic travel.

oneworld Connect

Rather than becoming a full-fledged member of the alliance, China Southern could become a oneworld Connect partner. oneworld Connect was launched in 2018 and is a "light" membership to the alliance that gives airlines and passengers some alliance membership benefits without fully joining. If China Southern joins as a Connect partner, passengers from other oneworld airlines flying to China and connecting to other destinations could fly with China Southern.

In November 2018, Alaska Airlines announced that it might take advantage of Connect partners in certain areas. The announcement came just as Fiji Airways was set to become the founding member of the new product. Today, Fiji Airways is sponsored by British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, and soon American Airlines.

Do you think that China Southern will join oneworld as an official airline partner? What about as a Connect partner? Let us know in the comments below.

  • China Southern A380 Sunset (1)
    China Southern
    IATA/ICAO Code:
    CZ/CSN
    Airline Type:
    Full Service Carrier
    Hub(s):
    Beijing Daxing Airport, Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport
    Year Founded:
    1988
  • American Airlines (Oneworld Livery) Boeing 777-223(ER) N791AN (1)
    oneworld
    Business Type:
    Airline Alliance
    Date Founded:
    1999-02-01
    CEO:
    Rob Gurney
    Headquarters Location:
    New York, USA
    Airlines:
    Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Jordanian, SriLankan Airlines