As the summer travel peak approaches in China, airline companies are raising their ticket prices. 

The price hike was previously scheduled for the beginning of the month, but was postponed because travel numbers did not heat up as anticipated.

Currently, tickets for the Beijing-Shanghai route are selling at a 40 percent discount. Tickets for the Beijing-Hangzhou route are at a 45 percent discount, and the ticket price for the Beijing-Nanjing route is at a 35 percent discount.

The period between July 10th and August 20th is the transport peak for China's airline companies. And airlines usually raise their ticket prices to maximize profits. Meanwhile, Air China, the country's largest carrier, say the company has made changes to its marketing department to prevent unreasonable isolated moves on ticket prices in its branches. 

(Xinhua News Agency July 11, 2005)