Chinese Air Travel Industry Suffering

The Chinese air travel market is said to be suffering to the point of the 2003 SARS outbreak.

The reasons behind this seem to be predominantly due to the Sichuan earthquake, as well as new visa restrictions becoming tougher. The worldwide rise in fuel prices and the country suffering from excessive poor weather are also being cited as reasons.

The figures show that Air China growth was down for May by 10% compared to 2007 where the airline saw an 18% increase in growth. The problems are not just limited to Cinese airlines however, as Finnair have also seen a dip in passenger booking numbers after the Chinese earthquakes.

After such a widespread national disaster as the recent earthquake it is not altogether surprising that many people are reluctant to travel in the country, and only time may see passengers return to the country as their confidence grows that the danger is over. The aviation industry are hoping for an increase in passenger numbers however with the Olympic Games soon to begin which should provide a much welcome boost for the country.

Published by: Jon Vickery