China’s Big Three airlines – China Southern Airlines (ZNH), China Eastern Airlines (CIAH) (CEA), and Air China – saw a month-on-month increase in passenger numbers amidst ongoing lockdowns in some of the country's largest cities. 

During the month, Shanghai-based China Eastern Airlines (CIAH) (CEA) carried the fewest passengers. The airline flew a total of 1.5 million passengers, an increase of 76% compared to April 2022.  

Meanwhile, the country’s national carrier Air China carried a total of 1.8 million passengers, an increase of 36% month-on-month. China Southern Airlines (ZNH), the country’s largest carrier by fleet size, flew a total of 3.4 million passengers in May 2022.  

According to all three airlines, the situation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic in China remains “severe and complex”. 

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China is considered to be one of the strictest places in the world in terms of quarantine requirements and travel restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the country's strict Zero-COVID policy, millions of people have been placed under lockdown in China’s biggest cities. 

However, China is gradually easing COVID-19 curbs after more than a two-month lockdown. But the overall policy of Zero-COVID remains in place.  

In contrast to China, many countries in Asia-Pacific have eased travel restrictions and opened borders to fully vaccinated passengers beginning February and March 2022. The easing of travel restrictions has resulted in increased passenger numbers.    

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Zero-COVID policy dents China’s Big Three airlines recovery
Air China, China Southern Airlines, and China Eastern Airlines have seen a sharp decline in March 2022 passenger traffic.