According to data from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), during this summer peak season, the entire civil aviation industry of this country transported a record 151 million passengers. This figure is equivalent to an average of 2.44 million passengers per day, an increase of 2.9% compared to the same period last year.
The upward momentum is clearly reflected in the operating reports of major airlines, with a series of important indicators such as capacity supply scale, passenger rotation and average seat occupancy rate all recording positive improvements.
To meet the increasingly diverse needs of passengers during peak season, airlines and airports in China also have many policies to promote the personalization of ground service chains.
Typical are packages to support children traveling alone with staff accompanying them throughout the station, specialized utility areas for the elderly with free wheelchairs, and private play spaces for families with young children.
Notably, a pet-friendly model is also being deployed synchronously through waiting rooms, independent security screenings and pet flying services with owners right in the passenger cabin.
In parallel with the domestic market, China has strongly expanded its global aviation network since the beginning of the year. As of the end of June, the country's airlines have operated more than 1,000 regular international routes, connecting to 80 countries around the world. Hainan Airlines has operated more than 5,800 international flights and welcomed 1.11 million passengers, of which foreign passengers account for over 30%.
The driving force for the international flight segment also comes from expanding the visa-free transit policy to 240 hours. Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam are the latest countries to apply it. The leverage of smooth entry and exit procedures has promoted a wave of cross-border travel, helping Chinese border gate control agencies handle a record 369 million entry and exits in the first half of the year, an increase of 10.8% compared to the same period.
The heat of air travel in China is forecast to continue to last until autumn. According to Xinhua, booking data in the first half of September recorded more than 13.4 million domestic tickets and over 3 million confirmed international tickets, respectively maintaining stable growth momentum and increasing by 4% compared to the same period last year.
