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China Southern Airlines' Inaugural Flight
From Guangzhou, China to JFK
China Southern Airlines' new non-stop service
between New York and Guangzhou is a lot more than just a
top-flight connection between two of the world's great
cities.
"We want to present the new service as an
anniversary gift," said China Southern Airlines chairman Si
Xianmin, referring to the 35th anniversary of the
establishment of China-US diplomatic relations.
China Southern's first direct Guangzhou-New
York flight arrived early Wednesday morning with a
delegation from China aboard, including Si, and China
Southern executive vice-president Chen Gang and assistant
president Li Jun. "With over a million Chinese living and
working in New York city, and approximately 650,000 Chinese
visiting New York city every year, this new direct route
from Guangzhou will strengthen the relationship among our
two regions by increasing opportunities for tourism and
communication."
At the welcoming ceremony after the flight's
arrival at the JFK International Airport, Si said: "Growing
economic and people-to-people exchanges between the US and
China have created a great platform for China Southern
Airlines to launch the new service."
"As the largest city in the United States,
New York is truly the capital of the world," Si said. "It is
the world center of finance, trade, science, information
technology and has no equal. Guangzhou is the third largest
city in China and the political, economic, scientific and
cultural center of southern China."
This is the first-ever non-stop service
between the two cities, connecting the Big Apple to China's
biggest manufacturing and commercial hub. Guangzhou, the
capital of Guangdong province, is the third-largest city in
China after Beijing and Shanghai, with a population of 11
million. The city's economy is vital to the country, with
the local economy growing 11.6 percent year-on-year in 2013,
reaching $253.8 billion.
Cheng Lei, acting consul general of the
Chinese Consulate General in New York, congratulated the
airlines on the new route, saying that tourism can play a
major role in establishing bilateral relations.
"Tourists are not tourists, they are people,
ambassadors between our two countries," he said. "I do hope
my brothers and sisters come from Guangzhou. China will not
only spend more in New York City and its surroundings, but
also learn more from the city and from the United States."
The airline hosted a seminar to introduce the
direct flight to travel agents and held a gala reception at
New York City's iconic Plaza Hotel.
China Southern is based in Guangzhou,
operating at the Baiyun International Airport. It is one of
the largest airlines in the world by number of passengers
carried. The airline carried more than 90 million passengers
last year, according to the company.
南航开通广州至纽约直航 为全球最长直飞航线之一
中国南方航空公司6日在纽约正式开通广州至纽约直飞航线。该航线每周四班，是广州唯一一条直飞纽约的航线。据介绍，该航线将飞跃北极，单程航距达到1.35万公里，飞行时间16小时左右，是目前全球最长的直飞航线之一。
南航集团董事长司献民在纽约举行的首航仪式上表示，目前，南方航空公司已是中国乃至亚洲航线网络最发达、年客运量最大的航空公司。新开通的南航广州至纽约直飞航线每周四班，由南航全新引进的波音777-300ER机型执飞。该航线是目前广州唯一直飞美国东部地区的航线。开通后，南航客运在北美地区将有洛杉矶、纽约和温哥华三个航点。
据介绍，广州-纽约直航飞机航班号为CZ399，广州起飞时间为1:40，到达纽约时间为5:15；纽约-广州航班号CZ300，纽约起飞时间为11:15，到达广州时间为次日的15:15。
据介绍，目前约有100万华裔在纽约地区生活和工作，每年到达纽约的中国游客达65万左右，该航线的开通将增进两地的关系，增加两地旅游和沟通的机会。
纽约和新泽西港务局约翰肯尼迪机场总经理迈克尔·莫兰表示，南航是中国最大的航空公司，成功开通纽约至广州的直飞航线，可以满足来美休闲旅游，以及日益庞大的商务旅行市场的需要。
广州-纽约航线是目前全球最长的直飞航线之一。公开数据显示，目前仍在运营的全球最长直飞航线中，澳洲航空公司执飞的悉尼-美国达拉斯航线距离为1.37万公里，达美航空公司执飞的南非约翰内斯堡-美国亚特兰大直飞航线距离为1.36万公里。
资料称，中国南方航空股份有限公司是中国乃至亚洲运输航班最多、航线网络最密集、年客运量最大的航空公司，也是目前全球第三大航空公司。
Report by Cathy Han/
Black Tie International Magazine
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Gala Dinner
China
Southern Airlines, which is the largest airline carrier in
Asia, hosted an unforgettable dinner gala at the Plaza hotel
to celebrate their inaugural direct route from
Guangzhou, China to New York.
The evening, which included cocktails and hors d’oeuvres
followed by dinner and live entertainment, was well attended
by US and Chinese government representatives including
Consul General of China Lei Cheng, the
President & Chairman of China Southern Airlines, Si Xianmin,
NY Secretary of State Cesar A. Perales, New York City
Council member Mark Treygar, NY Assemblyman William Colton,
Governor Cuomo’s Office Regional Representative Linda Sun,
and other esteemed guests including President of Delta
Airlines Edward Bastian, TV News personality and WABC host
Rita Cosby, actress Julianne Michelle, President of Emma New
York Chih-Chin Sun, and film producer and Vice President of
Supernova Media, Joycelyn Engle. Black Tie International
Magazine, Publisher, Gerard Mc Keon,
and
Andrea Spring Managing Director Blue Star
Jets
Also of notable mention was the announcement of the official
partnership between NY Empire State and China Southern
Airlines by NY Governor Andrew Cuomo to further promote
Chinese tourism in New York State as part of his Global
Tourism Initiative.
“By partnering with China Southern Airlines, I LOVE NEW YORK
is taking a giant step forward to promote the best place in
the world to travel – New York State,” Governor Cuomo said.
“Collaborating with Asia’s largest airline will make
everything that we have to offer more accessible to China’s
bustling market, quite literally providing a gateway to the
iconic Empire State. New York is experiencing record levels
of tourism in both New York City and Upstate New York, and
our administration will continue to foster this surge so
that spending by visitors and investment by businesses can
continue to grow local economies.”
To signify
this new marketing partnership and the long lasting
friendship between the US and China,
Jeff Hofgard, vice-president of International Operations and
Policy for Boeing Government Operations, presented a welcome
gift of a bronze American eagle to Chairman of China
Southern Airlines Si Xianmin.
"As the largest city in the United States, New York is truly
the
capital of the world," Si said. "It is the world center of finance, trade,
science, information technology and has no equal. Guangzhou
is the third largest city
in China and the political, economic,
scientific and cultural center of southern China."
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