China’s air industry told to prepare for surge in travel after borders reopen
- An aviation industry body has predicted that passenger numbers will return to 70 per cent of the pre-pandemic total next year
- China has said it will start issuing passports and visas again, but it will take time for more flights to become available
Xie Xingquan, the International Air Transport Association’s regional vice-president for North Asia, said China’s reopening was a welcome development and would have a “positive effect” on the industry in the Asia-Pacific region.
The association is expecting to see the number of passengers reaching 70 per cent of the 2019 level next year, but Xie said China needed to be “well-prepared” to avoid disruption.
“What is needed next is to remove the need for pre-departure Covid-19 testing. It is also crucial for the entire aviation value chain in China to be well prepared and adequately resourced to handle the expected surge of air travellers, so as to avoid the travel disruptions and problems seen elsewhere in the world when borders reopened,” he said.
On Tuesday, the Chinese immigration authority said it would resume issuing passports and visas for mainland residents to travel overseas, including entry permits for Hong Kong.
Data from multiple Chinese travel booking platforms also saw a surge in searches for international flights after China announced a reopening of its borders from January 8, scrapping Covid-19 tests and quarantine for inbound travellers, only requiring a negative pre-departure test taken within 48 hours.