China resumes regular flights with 58 countries

BEIJING, Feb. 16 (Xinhua) -- China resumed regular passenger flights with 58 countries last week after the country removed certain COVID-19 restrictions on international passenger flights from Jan. 8, 2023.

During the week from Feb. 6 to 12, some 98 domestic and overseas airlines operated 795 flights, up 65 percent from the week from Jan. 2 to 8, Shang Kejia, an official with the Civil Aviation Administration of China, told a press conference on Thursday.

The number of countries handling flights to or from China and airlines operating these flights resumed to 64 percent and 80 percent, respectively, of the level in the same period of 2019.

Shang said the domestic air transport market would continue to see rapid expansion, and the flight amount is likely to equal and even exceed the pre-epidemic level.

Shang also expected the number of international flights to increase further, driven by the gradual resumption of demand for international business, tourism, and education.