This finally came to an end on 8 January 2023 when the country reopened its borders and international travelers were welcomed without mandatory PCR testing on arrival and quarantine requirements. A new outbreak then caused France, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia—among others—to introduce pre-departure tests for Chinese travelers but this proved short-lived.
In late April 2023, China finally abandoned a 48-hour pre-boarding PCR requirement and from 1 November 2023 there was no longer any need for a health declaration form.
“We are seeing a return to normal traffic demand,” says Dr Xie Xingquan, IATA’s Regional Vice President for North Asia. “As of November 2023, the total number of flights is just 5% lower than 2019 levels, though the majority are domestic flights. Domestically, China didn’t have the layoffs seen in other countries, so the industry has been able to scale up quickly.
“But international flights are at just 55% of pre-COVID levels. Even so, the recovery has been steady and fundamental drivers, such as economic and international trade growth are in place.”
Finding slots
There are challenges to overcome, however. Chinese carriers had not been seen in overseas markets for the best part of three years and although slots rules were relaxed in key Asia-Pacific, European and US markets, Chinese airlines are finding it difficult to secure the slots they need for an efficient network.
There are even issues to iron out in various bilateral agreements that stipulate certain traffic levels.
“It is not easy for an international airline to resume their overseas network after closing it for three years,” says Dr Xie. “You can’t just pick up where you left off. It’s not just traffic agreements and slots, it is ground handling, staff and so many other operational details.”
As Chinese aircraft take to the skies again, the airlines are also facing an issue over the supply of parts. The lead time from ordering to delivery has…