Airlines up China international capacity following border reopening

Usage: All media worldwideExpiry date: Perpetual

Airlines have upped capacity to and from China by 9.5 per cent over the past week following the CCP relaxing China’s border policies.

Cathay Pacific has welcomed quarantine-free travel and announced it will double its weekly flights to mainland China, putting it ahead of Xiamen Airlines, Juneyao Airlines and other Chinese airlines, according to data from Cirium, an aviation analytics firm.

The increased capacity comes from a low base, with these routes only being serviced at 11 per cent of pre-pandemic capacity in January. This has caused high airfares ahead of the week-long Lunar New Year holiday beginning later this month.

In the return to Chinese international travel, Chinese airlines are expected to perform well as they have retained most of their widebody aircraft and staff, whereas foreign carriers struggled with capacity constraints and border openings.

Cirium data showed that international capacity to and from China for February has risen by 23 per cent over the last week and by 13 per cent for March. A jump is predicted for April also after the summer airline schedule season that starts 26 March.

Seats to and from China are expected to rise to 4.3 million a month by April, 2.7 million in March, 2 million in February and are expected to hit 1.85 million in January.

The April figure would only be approximately 25 per cent of capacity seen in 2019.

A Qantas spokesperson told Travel Weekly that the airline “will keep customers updated about any plans we have to recommence flights into (mainland) China.”

This followed the airline’s announcement late last month that it will resume Sydney-Hong Kong flights from 30 January 2023 three days a week and increase this to daily from late February. Daily flights from Melbourne are scheduled to resume from 26 March 2023.

Latest News

  • Destinations
  • News

APT Launches 2025 Asia Adventures

APT has launched its Asia Adventures for 2025, including new luxury holidays in India, Sri Lanka and Japan. Five new tours lead guests to the highlights of India, including a seven-night cruise along the rarely travelled Lower Ganges aboard the Ganges Voyager. Further south, Sri Lanka’s greatest destinations are revealed on a new 15-day Land […]

  • Cruise
  • Luxury
  • News

Seabourn announces Western Kimberley Traditional Owners as Godparents of Seabourn Pursuit

Seabourn has named Western Kimberley Traditional Owners, the Wunambal Gaambera, as Godparents of the ultra-luxury purpose-built Seabourn Pursuit. It is the first cruise line to appoint Traditional Owners as godparents of a ship. Seabourn Pursuit embarks on its inaugural season in the Kimberley region this June. The naming ceremony will take place on Seabourn Pursuit’s […]

  • Luxury

Malolo Island Resort opens brand new Spa

Fiji’s Malolo Island has added another string to its bow – opening its $1.3 million day spa on Thursday, 18th April 2024. (Lead Image: matriarch Rosie Whitton with spa staff) Located at the edge of the resort’s luscious patch of tropical rainforest, the new “Leilani’s Spa” adds another level of elevated experiences to Malolo’s already […]