People watch a China Southern plane land at Beijing Capital International Airport as the country is hit by an outbreak of the novel coronavirus March 13, 2020. ― Reuters pic
At least eight Chinese carriers have so far launched similar schemes which they hope will boost the ailing domestic aviation sector in the world’s second-largest economy. The deals, valid for anything between a month and a year, start at 1,588 yuan for unlimited flights over 31 days per person.Airlines offer variations of such deals, including Spring Airlines’ package for children travelling with their parents and China Eastern’s unlimited weekend flights.Some carriers have chosen to join hands, with Qingdao Airlines, Okay Airways and Ruili Airlines collaborating for unlimited weekend deals as well.
China’s economy has been recovering gradually since the coronavirus outbreak, and last Friday, the Civil Aviation Administration of China said daily flights had returned to about 80 per cent of pre-virus levels.