The aviation authority in China has announced plans to elevate the number of domestic flights to a level 34% higher than before the pandemic, a strategy aimed at accelerating the resurgence of Chinese airlines.
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On Friday, China's leading airlines disclosed their first quarterly profits in over three years, sparking optimism in the industry for the country's three major state carriers to overcome the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Civil Aviation Administration of China is set to implement its flight plan for the winter and spring seasons on Sunday, which will be in effect until March 30, as per a summary from a Friday press conference on the CAAC News website, managed by the aviation authority. The plan includes 96,651 domestic flights per week, marking a 34% increase compared to the same timeframe four years ago, and includes 7,202 additional weekly flights due to the inauguration of 516 new domestic routes. The augmentation in domestic flights will primarily enhance connections between regional airports and major hubs such as Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou.
While international flights have been slower to bounce back, they are gradually gaining momentum. Over the forthcoming five months, there will be 16,680 weekly flights, with passenger flights projected to attain 71% of the total from four years ago. Flight frequencies to and from 22 countries, including Britain and Italy, are approaching or have surpassed pre-pandemic levels. For the winter and spring seasons, the number of weekly direct passenger flights between China and the United States is anticipated to rise from 48 to 70, as stated in a Sunday post on the CAAC News WeChat account.
