Shenzhen Airlines has expanded its flight network, enhanced the benefits of global travelers and created more benefits for its own staff employees in the past five years since it joined Star Alliance family.

Through business alliance and resources sharing, Shenzhen Airlines had shared codes with other six Star Alliance members, enabling customers to reach 1,300 destinations in 190 countries and regions with seamless transfers and enhanced frequent flyer benefits.

After integration into Star Alliance, Shenzhen Airlines expanded its service network by making full use of global network resources of Star Alliance, extended its global reach through coordinated flight schedules and connecting flights of other Star Alliance members. Up to now, Air China, Singapore Airlines, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines and EVA Air have shared codes with Shenzhen Airlines. The integration into Star Alliance global network, which has 21,000 flights to 1,300 destinations, attracted more business travelers, increased use of flights, and income of Shenzhen Airlines as well.

To improve data exchange efficiency with other member airline companies and better serve high end customers, Shenzhen Airlines started actively cooperated with Star Alliance for the construction of two data banks, PAI HUB and PCD HUB.

PAI HUB will be helpful for travelers to accumulate their mileages, while PCD HUB will enable alliance members to share the information of high-end customers to offer better service.

Star Alliance Upgrade Awards (SAUA) is an important product of Star Alliance. It allows a traveler to use accumulated miles or points to "pay for" an upgrade, to fly in a class of travel that is one higher than your original booking.

This award, introduced in 2005, is applicable across all 28 member airlines.It is the only alliance to offer this benefit between all of its airlines.

Since the integration, Shenzhen Airlines implemented the requirements and rules of Star Alliance at each level, reviewed its operation in line with the international standards which are abided by 28 airline companies, and provided convenient transfer services to international travelers under Move Under One Roof initiative,in which members airline companies are accommodated under one roof, for example, with common check-in facilities in the same terminal and mutual access to their lounges. All Star Alliance airlines are now under one roof at airports in Bangkok, Beijing, Miami, Tokyo-Narita, Seoul and Singapore.

As part of seamless travel customer promise, Shenzhen Airlines offers through check-in for passengers connecting to and from other Star Alliance member airlines' flights. The airline company improved quality of check-in service team through tightened trainings, expanded and diversified services by introducing dispensers for electronic check-in, opened counters and set up high-end check-in halls for Star Alliance Silver and Gold cards holders.

The holders enjoy benefits such as priority airport check-in, baggage handling and boarding.

Shenzhen Airlines also strengthened construction of Star Alliance lounges. The six lounges in Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Xi'an, Shenyang, Nanjing and Wuxi, are designated with rest halls, VIP rooms, baby rooms, shower and dining areas. Star Alliance travelers can enjoy baggage consignment, free WiFi, boarding guidance, ferrying for remote boarding gates, flight inquiry and flight change service.

At present, more than 1,000 Star Alliance lounges are available globally.

In this October, the wide-body aircraft A330 was put on the routes from Shenzhen to Chengdu and Beijing routes. It will be put on the intercontinental route, and lay a foundation for closer connectivity with other members of Star Alliance.

After the integration, flights operated by Shenzhen Airlines can be booked as part of Star Alliance fares including Round-the-World and Circle Pacific. This enables travelers to spend less,but enjoy more benefits. Shenzhen Airlines and its employees also benefit in operation cost and business traveling.

Shenzhen Airlines developed employee ticket cooperation with Lufthansa Airlines and Air Canada.

Shenzhen Airlines will promote Star Alliance Gold Track priority lane which allows travelers to proceed more smoothly through security, bypassing the usual queues. It is currently available in more than 140 locations globally and is being rolled out airport by airport across its network.

Gold card holders (including those traveling in Economy Class) or customers flying with a member airline in First Class or Business Class are all eligible for Star Alliance Gold Track access.

Founded in 1997, Star Alliance is the largest global alliance by passenger count. Star Alliance's 28 member airlines operate 690 million passengers per year on more than 18,500 daily departures.

Contributed by Shenzhen Airlines