Domestic carriers to develop alliance, creating joint services

Six of China's domestic airlines have agreed to set up an alliance from January 1 to cut down on booking and handling costs, the China Daily reported yesterday. The New Star Aviation Alliance is aimed at improving services and cutting costs by pooling resources. It will also allow passengers to switch carriers in case of delay or cancellation, the newspaper said. The six carriers involved are Shenzhen Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, Shandong Airlines, Wuhan Airlines, Central China Airlines and Hainan Airlines.