UATP Expands in Asia; Adds China Southern Airlines as New Merchant

WASHINGTON, April 25 /PRNewswire/ -- UATP continues its expansion in Asia, adding China Southern Airlines as its newest UATP Merchant effective immediately. China Southern Airlines is meeting the rising demands of corporate travelers and now accepts all UATP corporate cards, issued by 13 airlines and accepted as form of payment by over hundreds of airlines and travel agencies worldwide.

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"As one of the largest carriers in The People's Republic of China, China Southern must respond to customer demands to continue to capture market share and expand services," says Mr. Zhu Yi Ting, Manager of International Passenger Transport, China Southern Airlines. "China Southern is positioning itself for the increasing number of international business that is being conducted in China and for the demand of UATP acceptance that we have seen through our client base, while lowering distribution costs."

China Southern Airlines recently became the most technically advanced aircraft fleet in The People's Republic of China with the introduction of the nation's first-ever automatic check-in boarding system at the new Baiyun International Airport. This is the first time an airline in China is offering self-service passenger check-in for domestic flights. Currently available on one domestic route -- between Guangzhou and Changsha -- the airline is planning to significantly expand this service to all flights by the end of 2005.

"China is expected be one of the largest growth markets for leisure and business travel worldwide; with an expected 10% growth rate in 2006 and future increases," said president and CEO, Ralph Kaiser. "By becoming a UATP Merchant, China Southern Airlines is positioning itself to encompass the corporate travel market growth. UATP will continue to work with China Southern Airlines to capture market share and increase the availability of card acceptance within China which we expect to gain access through BSP China by year-end."

The largest airline in The People's Republic of China for the past 26 years, China Southern Airlines connects more than 80 cities around the globe. Major business and vacation destinations served in China include: Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Guilin, Hong Kong, Kunming, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Wuhan and as well as international service, including: Amsterdam, Bangkok, Fukuoka, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Islamabad, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Los Angeles, Manila, Melbourne, Moscow, Osaka, Paris, Penang, Phnom Penh, Seoul, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo.

Visit http://www.uatp.com/ or http://www.cs-air.com/en for more information.

About UATP

UATP accounts are accepted as a form of payment for corporate business travel by more than 220 airlines and travel agencies worldwide. UATP accounts are issued by these airlines: Aer Lingus, Air New Zealand, American Airlines , Austrian Airlines, Continental Airlines , Delta Air Lines, Japan Airlines (Nasdaq OTC: JALSY), Qantas Airways, Ltd., United Airlines , US Airways (UAIRQ.OB), and VARIG Brazilian Airlines. AirPlus International issues the UATP-based Company Account for: British Airways , Continental Airlines and Lufthansa German Airlines.