CHINA Southern Airlines Co, Asia's largest carrier by passenger numbers, will add 18 new routes next week as the country's travel demand recovers following the end of curbs imposed during the Olympics.

The new routes, including 17 domestic services, will help expand the carrier's total number of weekly flights by 12 percent, the airline said in a statement yesterday. The only new international flight will link Urumqi, in northwest China, and Samarqand in Uzbekistan.