China’s aviation regulator has outlined its plans to help domestic and international air travel recover.
The Civil Aviation Administration of China said in a conference summary that it intends to boost flight schedule efficiency, strengthen cooperation with European and US counterparts, and ease air travel policies in Hong Kong and Macau, among several measures.
The country will also focus on supporting regional carriers and stimulate demand in second and third-tier cities, according to China Daily.
Although the International Air Transport Association (IATA) does not expect air travel to recover until 2024, China is likely to be one of the few exceptions.
During the final quarter of 2020, domestic passenger traffic in the world’s second largest economy reached 94.5 per cent of pre-Covid levels.
With the pandemic largely under control, strong demand has lifted carriers such as the state-owned China Southern, one of the few industry players recording a quarterly profit.
By 2025, China’s air traffic volume could surpass the US, according to the report. About 420 million passenger trips were taken last year, ranking second behind the US.
