October air traffic climbs again as ‘golden week’ holidays and cheap deals drive recovery in China’s post-Covid air travel

The number of air passengers reached 50.32 million in October, 88 per cent of the level a year earlier, though month-on-month growth was slower

Frustrated travellers stuck at home for months during lockdown took to the skies during the ‘golden week’ holiday, boosting the recovery, say analysts

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Chinese air travel has been gradually recovering after coronavirus restrictions brought the industry to a standstill. Photo: Simon Song

Published: 6:46pm, 13 Nov 2020Updated: 11:43pm, 13 Nov 2020

China’s air travel industry continued to rebound in October as pent-up demand during the “golden week” holiday and so-called fly-at-will promotions boosted traffic.

The recovery was, however, slower than in previous months as new Covid-19 cases arose.

The number of air passengers reached 50.32 million in October, bringing it back to 88.3 per cent of the level a year earlier, according to CAAC News, a media outlet run by the Civil Aviation Administration of China. That was an increase from 47.94 million passengers in September.

Analysts believe many people grabbed the opportunity to travel during the festive period after months of being stuck at home under coronavirus lockdown – a concept dubbed “revenge travel”.

“It extended the trend of releasing pent-up travel demand, especially during the golden week holiday, while airlines pushed out a variety of ‘fly at will’ promotion packages,” said Qi Qi, an associate professor at Guangzhou Civil Aviation College.

Air travel in mainland China has gradually recovered in recent months, ahead of the rest of the world, after the coronavirus pandemic was largely brought under control domestically. It peaked in the golden week holiday, a period of festivities that follows China’s national Day on October 1.

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