Significant Expansion in China-US Direct Flights Anticipated
November 2, 2023 – An auspicious step toward solidifying trade and personnel exchanges between China and the US was taken recently. Reports from CAAC News on Saturday reveal plans for a substantial uptick in the number of direct regular passenger flights between China and the US during the forthcoming winter-spring flight season. According to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), travelers can anticipate the frequency of these flights to escalate from the present 48 weekly flights (24 round trips) to a promising 70.
This expansion aligns with the US Department of Transportation’s (DOT) announcement on Friday (US time) setting the commencement of the new cap from November 9 onwards. This shift implies bolstered connectivity between the two nations, which stands crucial for mutual trade and personnel flow.
Which Airlines Stand to Gain?
Among the Chinese airlines that might seize the opportunity to amplify their flights to the US include names like Air China, Beijing Capital Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, and Xiamen Airlines. The latest communication provides insights into this probable expansion.
To achieve a smoother and more extensive reopening of the US-China air services market, the DOT has emphasized its commitment to maintaining an ongoing dialogue with the CAAC. Their collaborative efforts promise brighter prospects for both countries.
The Trajectory of Flight Frequencies
This isn’t the first instance when the two nations have adjusted their flight frequencies this year. On August 11, the DOT greenlit Chinese airlines to operate up to 18 weekly round-trip scheduled passenger flights starting September 1, 2023. Demonstrating adaptive resilience, this number swelled to 24 weekly round trips by October 29, 2023.
Qunar’s Big Data Research Institute, a prominent Chinese online travel agency platform, has shed light on this development. They point out a significant deviation from the flight volume of 2019. Nevertheless, they emphasize the recent frequency adjustments as indicative of a mutual inclination to boost flight operations.
The Impact on Passengers
An expanding flight grid will significantly ease travel between the two countries, providing passengers with increased direct flight options, Qunar opines. This augmentation is pivotal for the unobstructed passenger movement across borders.
What’s in Store for Ticket Prices?
The flight volume’s recovery is synchronous with a consistent decline in direct flight prices between China and the US. An exemplar case is the Shanghai-to-Los Angeles flights. The Qunar platform reveals that ticket prices that stood at approximately 15,000 yuan ($2,050) at the year’s dawn plummeted to about 8,000 yuan by September. Their latest evaluation in November shows a further dip to 7,000 yuan.
Drawing a parallel with 2019, Flight Master, a third-party travel app, states that China-US round-trip flights soared over 300 per week back then. Off-peak season tickets were a steal, priced between 2,000 to 3,000 yuan. The pandemic, however, dealt a substantial blow to these numbers over the past three years. Flight scarcity, especially during peak periods, coupled with ticket prices soaring above ten thousand yuan became the norm.
However, 2023 has ushered in a new era. The roll-out of several policies and announcements forecasts a potential resurgence in flight numbers, making affordable ticket prices a foreseeable reality.
A Glimpse into the Future by CAAC
Liang Nan, the esteemed director of CAAC’s transport department, provided insights on Friday. He unveiled that a whopping 6,502 weekly passenger flights from 116 different airlines have secured approval for the upcoming winter-spring flight season. These flights would connect China with 65 global destinations. The flight volume, thereby, inches closer to the 2019 level, reaching 70.7%.
In tandem with this growth, CAAC envisions a roadmap for the new flight season. They aim to instate measures that will fuel the resumption of international flights. This initiative, Liang expresses, would fortify international economic collaborations, trade partnerships, and the fluid exchange of personnel, not just with the US but other nations too.
The impending surge in China-US direct flights symbolizes a resilient rebound from pandemic-induced setbacks. It epitomizes the relentless pursuit of both nations to restore, renew, and reinvigorate their bilateral ties, facilitating smoother travels and stronger economic collaborations.
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