China's domestic airlines are beginning to find their own ways to deal with the stagnant civil aviation market while the expected public hearing on a more flexible ticket policy has been delayed, reports the China Daily Thursday.
The public hearing, which had been due to take place in late April, was expected to relax ticket price controls from 20 percent discount limit to 40 percent.
The hearing will not be held in the near future because of the unstable severe acute respiratory syndrome condition in the country, according to sources with the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC).
Domestic airlines had apparently lost their patience with the delayed implementation of the new policy and many had publicly sold their tickets at discounts ranging from 30 to 50 percent.
Ticket agent in Guangzhou began to provide 30 to 50 percent discounted tickets to most domestic cities early this month, and in central China's Wuhan city, a 50 percent discount is also available.
A ticket agent in Beijing, who declined to give his name, said that nearly all the airlines are providing heavily discounted tickets.
"Some airlines only filled 30 percent of their seats in May, so they will have to find some attractive measures to get passengers back," said the agent.
(Xinhua News Agency June 12, 2003)
|