Delta Air Lines, one of the promoters of SkyTeam Alliance, welcomes China Eastern Airlines to join the alliance, Lee Macenczak, executive vice president of Delta told Xinhua-run Shanghai Securities News.

Earlier, Sylvain Grados, general manager of Air France's Shanghai District disclosed that SkyTeam Alliance has touched China Eastern on the entrance issue.

China Eastern and China Southern Airlines announced to carry out all-round business cooperation in January. Liu Shaoyong, chairman of China Southern noted that the airline would like to recommend China Eastern to join the SkyTeam Alliance.

Sylvain Grados earlier said that as one of the global top three airline alliances, SkyTeam Alliance has absorbed China Southern. The alliance is still seeking more cooperative partners in the Chinese market.

So far, SkyTeam has covered flight network hubs of Guangzhou and Beijing in China by absorbing China Southern. If China Eastern joins in the alliance, SkyTeam will obtain advantage in Shanghai, another key civil aviation market in China.