Traffic for the leading Chinese carriers during Q1 2024 reveal record-high performances, with positive year-on-year increases, as well as growth against Q1 2019.
Air China plans to open its first route to Saudi Arabia in May, while China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines are launching new European flights.
With domestic traffic already surpassing pre-pandemic levels, the results are a clear indication of the carriers' glacial recovery of international capacity.
A selection of 50 new routes starting this month, including new services being launched China Eastern Airlines, Singapore Airlines and GOL Líneas Aéreas.
Four destinations and five airlines are among the finalists at the Routes Asia 2024 Awards, which celebrate excellence in airport and destination marketing.
China Eastern will become the first Chinese airline offering regular scheduled flights to Saudi Arabia, while China Southern is adding a second route to Iran.
Boeing has delivered its first Boeing 737-8 to China in nearly five years since the Civil Aviation Administration of China grounded the type in March 2019.
The news of the capacity boost comes on the heels of China’s “Big Three” carriers all reporting their first quarterly profits since the pandemic started.
