Air China Announces a New Code Share Agreement with South African Airways

BEIJING, Aug. 24, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Air China (CA) has announced a code share agreement with South African Airways (SA) that will enable SA to put its code on CA's newly inaugurated non-stop service between Beijing and Johannesburg as well as points beyond Beijing to Chengdu, Shanghai, Hangzhou and Chongqing. Air China will in turn put its code on SA's services between Johannesburg to Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth. The code share arrangement will open for sale from 25 August, for travel effective 29 October 2015. 

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Subsequent to the successful launch of the partnership between Air China and SA in March 2012 when SA launched its services to Beijing, China, the parties have looked into expanding the partnership on Air China's non-stop flights between China and Johannesburg and on onward destinations across China.  With this code share agreement, travelers will be able to purchase flights from South African Airways destinations onwards to China on one ticket, making for a simpler and seamless journey.

The deal signals a strategic move by Air China to inaugurate services to the African continent and for SA to increase its connectivity in its already extensive African footprint. With strategic partnerships such as this one with SA, Air China is able to connect its passengers to even more destinations on the continent and across the globe. This partnership between the flag carriers strengthens historic, commercial, political and cultural ties between the two countries. Currently China is South Africa's largest trade partner.

Both airlines are Star Alliance members, an alliance offering a network unlike any other; with 28 member airlines providing over 18,500 flights a day to over 1,330 destinations in more than 192 countries around the world. 

About the flights:

The flights CA867/8 Beijing-Johannesburg are to be operated on Tuesday/Thursday/Sunday (outbound) and on Monday/Wednesday/Friday (inbound). The outbound flight departs from Beijing at 23:15 Beijing time, and arrives in Johannesburg at 7:35 local time on the following day. The inbound flight departs from Johannesburg at 11:50 local time and arrives in Beijing at 7:30 Beijing time. The flights are to be operated with Boeing 777-300ER, an aircraft type quite popular with the world's business travellers.