The Chinese airline industry is made up of a cat's cradle of carriers, headed by the "big three" airlines that offer the bulk of international services and which are each equipped with large fleets of Western airliners.
Few of China's airlines are profitable, with most of the country's carriers state-owned and only a handful listed on the stock exchange.
In the wake of the Asian economic collapse, Beijing has concluded that the status quo is failing to deliver - and has placed consolidation of the airline industry high on its agenda.
Among the merger options under consideration is a tie-up between Air China and China Southern, which, as the map shows, would make little geographical sense. A China Eastern merger with either China Northern or China Northwest has also been mooted.
Some of China's smaller airlines are linked to larger carriers through often complex relationships, although most operate independently, with provincial and political concerns often overriding financial imperatives.
The 'big three'
Secondary carriers
Other listed carriers
Tertiary/smaller airlines
Source: Flight International
