China's airline industry is an improbable blend of state control and regulation, traditional culture, modern market reality and a zeal for profit, yet it works. Twenty-five years ago there were just 180 air routes in the country, 18 of them international, and only 3.43 million passengers took to the vacant skies annually. Today China has overtaken Japan as the largest air travel market in Asia and is second only to the US in terms of total scheduled departing seats, according to the ITTC consultancy division of Airclaims, which is headed by former IATA Chief Economist Peter Morris.
China's airline industry is an improbable blend of state control and regulation, traditional culture, modern market reality and a zeal for profit, yet it works. Twenty-five years ago there were just 180 air routes in the country, 18 of them international, and only 3.43 million passengers took to the vacant skies annually. Today China has overtaken Japan as the largest air travel market in Asia and is second only to the US in terms of total scheduled departing seats, according to the ITTC ...
Subscribe to Access this Entire Article
"Will China Go Low-Cost?" is part of ATW Plus, our online premium membership. Subscribing will provide you access to exclusive news, carefully researched airline financial, fleet and traffic data, plus the option to receive our popular, award-winning print magazine. To learn more, click here. If viewing via ATW Mobile, please login and click "Read web article" to view fully. Questions? ATWPlus@penton.com.
