China has begun rolling out a refreshed flight timetable for the winter and spring period, with international passenger operations expected to rebound to about 70 percent of the 2019 level by the end of October. This renewed plan extends through March 30, 2024, and calls for airlines nationwide to run around 117 thousand domestic and international passenger and cargo flights each week. Within the new season, 51 domestic carriers, excluding Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, aim to operate 96,651 weekly domestic passenger and cargo flights, of which 94,072 will be passenger flights.
The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) notes that 39 airlines will follow the winter-spring schedule aligned with the operational needs of civil aviation. There are 7,202 weekly flights across 516 independent domestic routes that have recently opened and are being adjusted to optimize routes and flight structures, making travel more convenient for travelers, according to Liang Nan, the Director of the CAAC Transportation Department.
Specifically, Air China plans to run about 1,500 domestic flights per day, averaging more than 800 daily flights at two Beijing airports and over 450 daily flights at two Beijing-area airports in Chengdu, located in Sichuan province.
China Southern Airlines will boost round-trip service between Beijing and Wenzhou in Zhejiang and between Beijing and Changde in Hunan to one daily flight, and between Beijing and Hong Kong to two daily flights. The carrier will also raise its major commercial routes to 16, increasing its average daily round-trip express flights to more than 16, with a peak of 28 flights.
China Eastern Airlines is slated to operate 3,076 passenger flights per day under the new season plan, averaging 404 flights daily.
In another milestone, China’s self-developed C919 aircraft will begin commercial operation during the winter-spring season. Hainan Airlines aims to cover more than 80 cities worldwide with over 450 domestic routes. The carrier plans to add more than 110 new domestic routes, including hubs like Haikou, Beijing and Urumqi, and will ramp up wide-body capacity on premium and express itineraries, with expanded service on popular routes. Ma Ning, head of Hainan Airlines marketing and sales, emphasized the continued availability of aircraft in key tourist markets such as Sanya and Haikou.
International passenger flights are also set to rise in the new season. In the same period in 2019, applications were filed for 6,502 weekly passenger flights, representing roughly 70.7 percent of the pre-pandemic volume.
As part of Belt and Road initiatives, China Southern Airlines intends to operate more than 2,000 weekly international and regional flights, an increase of over 290 flights per week compared with the recently concluded fall schedule.
Hainan Airlines plans to run 70 round-trips on international itineraries that connect more than 20 cities across multiple countries and regions, with additional frequency on several popular routes.
The resumption of services in Europe and parts of Asia may push passenger numbers for China Eastern Airlines to or beyond the 100 percent mark in the new season.
New routes are expected to launch by year-end from Shanghai Pudong International Airport to Cairo, Hangzhou to Auckland, and Beijing Daxing International Airport to Tokyo Haneda, with an international recovery rate projected to exceed 80 percent, according to Tian Jun, general manager of the Network Capacity Department for China Eastern Airlines’ Business Committee.
Air China has already started international and regional operations for the new season, with more than 70 percent of 2019 levels reached. The carrier will continue services from Beijing Capital International to San Francisco and from Shenzhen to Frankfurt, as well as routes from Beijing to Paris and Tianfu International to various destinations. In addition, plans include expanding services to more than 20 routes, including Chengdu to Manila, Philippines.
CAAC officials stated that the agency will maintain its push to restart international passenger flights and strengthen the international route network, aiming to support foreign trade, investment, and personnel exchanges and to ensure stable connectivity across borders (CAAC).