As the five-day May Day holiday approaches, China’s civil aviation sector is bracing for a significant spike in air travel, with millions of passengers expected to take to the skies for vacations and family reunions.
The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has projected that air passenger traffic will reach an average of 2.15 million trips per day, marking a historic high for this period. The surge is expected to affect both domestic and international routes, with passenger volumes and flights on international routes set to reach their highest levels since April.
According to Umetrip, a popular flight booking app, ticket bookings for the May Day holiday have surged by more than 20 percent compared to the previous year. Zhao Nan, general manager of Umetrip’s industry development department, highlighted that the most popular domestic destinations for travelers flying from Shanghai include Beijing, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shenzhen, and Xi’an. On the international front, Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul, Singapore, and Bangkok are emerging as top destinations.
In response to the anticipated demand, China Eastern Airlines has expanded its “air express” service to Singapore and Bangkok for the first time during the May Day period, adding additional flights to meet the increased travel needs. The airline has scheduled over 15,200 flights, with some smaller aircraft being replaced by larger ones to accommodate more passengers.
“We have taken significant steps to increase our flight capacity, ensuring that we can meet the travel demand during this peak period,” said Yang Zhiyong, deputy general manager of China Eastern Airlines’ marketing department. The airline has also introduced new routes, including a direct flight from Shanghai to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, which has already sold out. Another new direct route connecting Shanghai with Xigaze in Xizang Autonomous Region will commence on May 1.
Beijing Daxing International Airport is also gearing up for a busy holiday season, with 4,687 flights and 714,000 passenger trips expected. These numbers represent a year-on-year increase of 5.7 percent in flight operations and 8.1 percent in passenger traffic, both record highs. Pan Xiaofang, manager of the aviation department at Daxing Airport, noted that the airport is preparing for heightened traffic on popular routes to the Yangtze River Delta, the Pearl River Delta, and the Chengdu-Chongqing region. The airport currently connects to over 130 domestic destinations, with added direct flights to Mangshi City and Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture. Additionally, international routes will see a significant uptick, particularly to Japan, South Korea, and Europe.
Family travel and reunions are expected to account for over 60 percent of all flights during the May Day holiday, with popular tourist destinations such as Taiyuan, Foshan, Guiyang, and Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture seeing flight occupancy rates exceeding 95 percent.
Pang Bo, senior deputy manager of the marketing and sales department at China Eastern Airlines Beijing Branch, stated that additional capacity has been added to several popular tourist routes. Some flights from Daxing to cities like Wuhan, Nanchang, Chengdu, and Shanghai will now operate with wide-body aircraft, with frequencies exceeding 10 departures per day on these routes.
Inbound tourism is also poised for substantial growth. Data from Ctrip, a leading Chinese online travel agency, reveals a 173-percent year-on-year increase in inbound tourism orders for the holiday.
To cater to the influx of international visitors, Daxing Airport has established a dedicated service area for foreign tourists, offering assistance with mobile payment systems, phone services, baggage handling, tourist information, and transport guidance.
As the May Day holiday draws near, all signs point to a bustling travel season, with millions of passengers expected to take advantage of China’s expanding aviation network and growing international connections.
