China's big three flex their muscles

China's three major airlines, Air China, China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airways have expanded their areas of operation since their inception in 1984. Air China operates mostly on international routes and still does so today, but it is operating from more cities within China. China Eastern offers mostly domestic flights from its base in Shanghai and in 1993 expanded services to the US and Europe. China Southern Airlines has maintained its domestic services and has not expanded beyond the international routes it had in 1984.
The reorganisation of civil aviation in China was started in 1984. It was not meant to automatically give the best opportunities to any one airline, except to Air China on [...]