China Southern Airlines will lease 25 airplanes to expand its feet. 

China Southern Airlines Co Ltd, one of the top three Chinese carriers, said it will lease 25 airplanes for 10 to 12 years to expand its fleet.

The carrier will lease the aircraft -- five Boeing 737-700 jets, five Boeing 737-800s, five Airbus A320-200s and 10 Airbus A321-200s -- from International Lease Finance Corp, with delivery scheduled between January 2006 and May 2007.

The lease, pending shareholders and government approval, will be funded by its internal sources, China Southern added in its statement, without providing financial details.

(CRI.com March 23, 2005)