Chongqing- China's civil aviation sector started its new winter and spring season on October 30, and many domestic airlines have released plans to resume and increase the number of international passenger flights, including flights between Chongqing and Jakarta, Budapest, Dubai, Seoul, Ho Chi Minh, and Phnom Penh.

Major carriers carrying out 136 international routes

With a plan of opening 104,573 passenger and freight flights weekly, the flights are operated by 127 domestic and international airlines, and the season will last until March 25, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

"During the new season, more international flights will be operated with 840 inbound and outbound flights per week, a year-on-year increase of 105.9%," said Xu Qing, deputy director of the transport department of the CAAC.

Since October, some airlines have announced their flight plans for the new season. The three major carriers, Air China, China Southern Airlines, and China Eastern Airlines, plan to carry out 52, 42, and 42 international routes in the new season, totaling 136 international routes.

Air China planned to carry out 52 international passenger routes with 132 flights per week in the new season and resumed international routes such as Beijing-Singapore, Hangzhou-Rome, and Hangzhou-Osaka. The new routes include flights between Beijing, Johannesburg, and Chengdu.

While China Eastern Airlines has 42 international routes linking Shanghai Pudong with Toronto, New York, and Paris every week in the new season.

In November, Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport will open new passenger routes between Chongqing and Jakarta, resume passenger routes between Chongqing and Budapest, Dubai, Seoul, Ho Chi Minh, and Phnom Penh, and increase passenger routes between Chongqing and Rome, Bangkok. The capacity of the Chongqing-Rome route will revive to the pre-pandemic level.

Since the beginning of this year, Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport has increased and resumed passenger routes from Chongqing to Madrid, Rome, Bangkok, Vientiane, and Hong Kong, which supports Chongqing's opening up during the post-pandemic era.

Airfares are on a downward trend

As international flights increased, airfares declined in October. According to online travel agency Ctrip, the average price of international airfare, including tax, was 6,265 yuan as of October 27, down 23% from September. Qunar shows that the average price paid for an international flight in late October fell 13% from the same period in September.

New season international passenger capacity has doubled year on year, and ticket prices will stabilize in a reasonable range. The main reason for the price drop is the increase in flights.

Another online travel service platform, ly.com, reported that airfares from major European cities to China have returned to between 10,000 and 20,000 yuan, with some routes dropping to less than 10,000 yuan (about 1,370 U.S. dollars).

Many favorable policies encouraged the orderly increase of domestic and international passenger flights, which contributed to the recovery of the aviation market.

"Regarding the demand for international travel, such as the return of overseas students, the CAAC is speeding up the recovery of the international aviation market and continues to strengthen consultations with relevant countries and gradually increase international flights," said Xu Qing at a press conference in July.

On October 25, the National Development and Reform Commission and other government organs proposed to facilitate the entry and exit of senior executives, technicians, and their families of multinational companies and foreign-invested enterprises under good prevention and control of the epidemic.

Local governments clarify standards and procedures in light of local conditions to provide convenience for foreigners to visit China.