Back in March, Beijing became the city with the highest number of imported cases in China due to the worsening of the epidemic overseas. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) further adopted a diversion policy for international flights arriving in Beijing, diverting inbound flights by airlines to 12 other cities as the first entry point. Passengers who have done quarantine and pass the check afterward can take the same flight back to Beijing. From March 23 to September 1, 511 international passenger flights arriving Beijing have been diverted.
As the epidemic’s prevention and control enter into normalcy, those mentioned above diverted international passenger flights will gradually resume direct flights to Beijing airport. Starting from September 3, nine flights from eight countries with few exporting cases, including Thailand, Cambodia, Pakistan, Greece, Denmark, Austria, Sweden and Canada, will be resumed to Beijing first.
For the resumed direct flights, CAAC will continue to implement strict control measurement including incoming passenger amount control, load factor control, and the cut-down mechanism to ensure a stable and gradual return to the positive effects of Beijing’s status as an international hub airport.
Local industrial experts believe that the increase in international flights’ resumption and the resumption of direct flights to Beijing can be considered a landmark. It means the global aviation market will gradually recover to normal, and bottom-out for China market. But sustainability depends on the prevention measurement and cooperation by domestic and international airlines.
CARNOC expert Mr. Qi further commented that, currently, the source of international flight passengers is still the Chinese citizens returning from countries to dodge the epidemic abroad. With the improvement of the global ability to prevent and control the outbreak, the successful development of an effective vaccine, the resumption of global economic contacts, and the gradual recovery of cross-border business and travel demand, the international aviation market can continue to recover and return to the state before the outbreak of the epidemic.