CHINA is to have a major revamp of its airlines reducing the number of its carriers from nine to three. Air China is merging with China Southwest Airlines and China National Aviation Corp into a new holding company called China National Aviation Holding. Branded as Air China the new company brings together 118 aircraft serving 307 routes. China National Aviation controls Zhejiang Airlines, based in the eastern province of Zhejiang and also owns 43% of Hong Kong's second-largest carrier, Dragonair. China Eastern Airlines is to merge with Yunnan Airlines and China Northwest Airlines. China Southern Airlines Co, the mainland's largest airline, will merge with China Northern and Xinjiang Airlines, which hold routes in the north and northwest.