China’s fifth largest Shenzhen Airlines joins Star Alliance

China’s fifth largest carrier Shenzhen Airlines has now officially become a member of Star Alliance network. The airline had been striving for the past 16 months to fulfill the conditions for joining the world’s leading global airline alliance.

Mark Schwab, CEO of Star Alliance, said that with Shenzhen Airlines becoming its newest member the Star Alliance will now be bolstering its presence in China and across Asia. He said that the customers booking Shenzhen Airlines flights from worldwide destinations on Star Alliance network would get improved access throughout the Pearl River Delta.

Shenzhen Airlines has become the second Chinese carrier to join Star Alliance. China’s national flag carrier Air China was the first to join Star Alliance from China in 2007.

Earlier, another Chinese carrier Shanghai Airlines used to be a part of Star Alliance. However, by mid-2010 Shanghai Airlines left Star Alliance and instead joined Skyteam global airline alliance because of the airline’s consolidation with China Eastern Airlines.