The airline plans to issue put options, allowing minority holders to buy 1.597 yuan-denominated shares for 10 held, up from 0.93 share, the Guangzhou-based carrier said in a statement yesterday to the Shanghai Stock Exchange. China Southern is joining a government drive to convert non-tradable shares into common stock to boost private ownership and to make management more accountable. China Eastern Airlines Corp, the country's third-largest carrier, last year offered minority holders of its Shanghai-listed stock 3.2 shares for every 10 held, Bloomberg News reported. The company's Shanghai-listed shares will resume trading today.

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