New China Eastern chief
China Eastern Airlines has appointed a former senior executive of China Southern Airlines as its new president, with effect from 14 October.
Li Fenghua replaces Liu Shaoyong who took up a senior post with the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).
Li, 52, previously held the post of vice-president and Communist Party secretary at China Southern Airlines, and was a vice-president of its parent company, Southern Airlines (Group).
Both China Eastern and China Southern are growing due to an airline consolidation exercise being overseen by the Chinese government. China Eastern is acquiring China Northwest Airlines and Yunnan Airlines, while China Southern is acquiring China Northern Airlines and Xinjiang Airlines.
Air China, the last of the 'big three' Chinese airlines, is being merged with China Southwest Airlines and China National Aviation, which controls Zhejiang Airlines. The major carriers are also acquiring smaller airlines not directly controlled by the CAAC.
Nicholas Ionides Singapore
Source: Airline Business
