Chinese air-carriers are offering hefty discounts this month to regain passenger trust, today's Beijing Daily reported.

Generally, with the Christmas and Spring Festival approaching, air-ticket sales will be on the rise by the year end, and air-carriers will usually take back their discounted air tickets offered in November every year, and raise airfares in December.

However, things have changed this year.

Domestic airlines are offering 70 percent or more discounts to passengers.

China Eastern Airlines, Air China, China Southern Airlines and Shanghai Airlines have each successively introduced special offers such as 260 yuan (US$32) from Beijing to Shanghai, 190 yuan (US$23) from Beijing to Jinan, 260 yuan (US$32) from Beijing to Hangzhou and 210 yuan (US$25) from Beijing to Qingdao.

China Eastern Airlines has also promised that air-tickets with less than a 70 percent discount can be rerouted free of charge.

Improving passenger trust in air travel is given as the main reason for the hefty price cuts, an industrial analyst explained. The recent air disaster in Baotou has made many passengers feel unsafe about the air travel and the continuous foggy days in Beijing and the surrounding areas have also made passengers prefer to take trains, dragging down the sales of air ticket this month, the analyst pointed out.

(Shanghai Daily December 10, 2004)