Chinese Airlines Seek 11 Percent Rise In Passenger Volume

January 7, 2009

Chinese airlines will strive for 11 percent growth in passenger volume this year in compliance with a guideline endorsed by the country's industry regulator.

Air China and other Chinese carriers carried 176.24 million passengers from January to November 2008, up merely 2.9 percent from the previous year, official data showed, as a slowing economy curbed air travel. Cargo volume climbed 1.6 percent to 3.71 million tonnes over the same period.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) in a statement set 2009's passenger volume target at 220 million and cargo throughput at 4.37 million tonnes, up 8 percent.

It did not provide any basis for the guidelines but said they could be adjusted in accordance with the macroeconomic situation.

Fixed asset investment, mostly allocated to bolster the country's airport facilities, will be around CNY80 billion yuan (USD$11.71 billion) to CNY100 billion, CAAC said.