Shandong Airlines confirms in merger talks with other airlines

BEIJING (AFX-ASIA) - Shenzhen-listed Shandong Airlines has confirmed that it is in talks with other domestic airlines after breaking off merger talks with Shanxi Airlines.           A spokesman for the board of directors told AFX-ASIA he could not disclose the name of the companies involved, but confirmed that Hainan Airlines Co is not among them.           Shandong and Shanxi were among several regional Chinese airlines not included in government plans announced in April to merge nine of the airlines under the control of the Civil Aviation Administration.           A spokesman for Hainan Airlines, in which U.S. financier George Soros has a 17.5 pct stake, and which does not form part of the CAAC's merger proposals, told AFX-ASIA that it is not in talks with any domestic regional airline regarding a merger.           However, in an interview with AFX-ASIA on April 18, company spokesman Pu Dalong said the company does have plans to buy one or two airlines this year.           In March Hainan agreed to buy a 51 pct stake in China Xinhua Airlines Co from the Shenhua group for 933 mln yuan in cash and assets.  

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