Chinese air travel is suffering for the first time since the SARS outbreak in 2003 because of the Sichuan earthquake, tighter visa restrictions, rocketing fuel prices and bad weather.
Both the region’s biggest international carrier Air China and the country’s largest domestic carrier China Southern Airlines are seeing passenger numbers fall, according to the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation.
Air China monthly passenger numbers for both domestic and international travel have dipped. In May last year both were seeing around 18% growth. This May growth stats were around minus 10%. China Southern Airlines says domestic passenger numbers fell by 0.1% in May – the first monthly reduction since the SARS outbreak.
Finnair also reports demand has dropped on Chinese routes, saying the earthquakes and restrictions on travel are the cause.
Airport Authority Hong Kong CEO Stanley Hui said the Sichuan earthquake was reducing Mainland people’s desire to travel, both internationally and to Hong Kong and the Authority would “continue to monitor the market closely in the coming monthsâ€.
The Olympic Games in August, however, may temporarily buoy the situation.
By Dinah Hatch
