Report by : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA Images : China Southern
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard! On 2 July 2026, China Southern Airlines celebrates its 70th anniversary. From its humble beginnings to its soaring success, China Southern has always stood shoulder to shoulder with the motherland. Seventy years of unwavering commitment—thank you for your companionship. Let us join hands and fly towards a bright future!" On flight CZ3177 from Guangzhou to Daxing, the cabin crew made this announcement, sharing this joyous occasion spanning seventy years with every passenger.
On 2 July 1956, in the height of summer in Guangzhou, the Civil Aviation Administration of China issued a document establishing the Flight Squadron of the Guangzhou Administration—the historical starting point for China Southern's development, exactly 70 years ago. Looking back at that flight squadron of just over ten people in 1956, and comparing it to today's airlines with routes connecting the world, China Southern's development history reflects the great journey of China's civil aviation from weakness to strength, from isolation to openness, and from catching up to keeping pace.
In July 2026, coinciding with China Southern Airlines' 70th anniversary, the airline meticulously planned several themed flight events to showcase its remarkable journey. On the first themed flight on 1 July 2026, China Southern created a warm atmosphere with elegant themed posters and stickers. The cabin crew, holding signs that read "70 Years of Dedication, Flying Towards a Brighter Future," extended sincere greetings to every passenger. The crew fondly recalled China Southern's 70-year development and invited passengers to write their best wishes on a message board. A special "Uniform Display Through the Ages" segment was included in the themed flight activities, where flight attendants, dressed in China Southern uniforms from different eras, led passengers on a journey through time, allowing them to deeply appreciate China Southern's journey of progress and development alongside the nation. From July 1st to the end of the year, China Southern will decorate 70 aircraft across various locations with themed decorations and broadcast exclusive announcements on all flights, creating a comprehensive celebratory atmosphere.
China Southern meticulously designed these arrangements to create a themed atmosphere throughout the passenger check-in, waiting, and boarding processes. Ground service stations are gradually releasing materials themed around China Southern Airlines' 70th anniversary. The designs feature a light sky-blue scheme, paired with a unique 70th-anniversary logo, blending aviation industry attributes with traditional Chinese landscape aesthetics to achieve a harmonious fusion of the airline's historical heritage, flight imagery, and Chinese cultural ambiance.
Simultaneously, China Southern Airlines is launching 70th-anniversary commemorative boarding passes in six cities: Guangzhou, Daxing, Urumqi, Shenzhen, Shanghai and Shenyang. This provides passengers with a tangible visual and service experience, allowing this special "China Southern Airlines memory" to accompany their journey.
Furthermore, partners such as COMAC, Boeing, and Airbus have sent congratulatory letters to "congratulate China Southern Airlines on its 70th anniversary," commemorating this important moment together.
Seventy years of soaring through the skies have not only etched the epic history of China's civil aviation industry from nothing to something, from weak to strong, but have also been deeply rooted in the great journey of national reform and opening up and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Standing at a new historical juncture, China Southern Airlines will continue its spirit of hard work and dedication, bravely shoulder the mission of building a strong civil aviation nation, and pursue its dreams in the blue sky with high spirits.
