electra-supply.comAccording to information from the Civil Aviation Administration, the civil aviation sector has demonstrated a positive trend this year, characterized by “steady advancement and continuous improvement.” In the third quarter, the industry achieved a total transport turnover of 40.35 billion ton-kilometers, carried 200 million passengers, and handled 2.315 million tons of cargo, marking year-on-year increases of 19.8%, 12.3%, and 19.4%, respectively. The data reflects a solid growth trajectory in transport operations. Notably, during the peak summer travel season, the monthly transport turnover and passenger-cargo volumes reached historic highs.
In the first three quarters of the year, the overall safety situation in civil aviation remained stable. Passenger traffic saw steady growth, cargo demand remained robust, and operational efficiency continued to improve. The industry’s internal growth momentum and capacity to support national strategies have also been strengthened, leading to new achievements in high-quality development. The third quarter saw domestic air routes achieving a transport turnover of 26.64 billion ton-kilometers, alongside international routes reaching 13.71 billion ton-kilometers, marking year-on-year growth of 8.9% and 48.6%, respectively. Moreover, the monthly transport turnover surpassed 13 billion ton-kilometers in July and broke the 14 billion mark in August.
Regarding passenger traffic, market demand has remained strong, with over 90% recovery in international route operations. The passenger transport volume for the third quarter was up 12.3% year-on-year, and 15.2% compared to the same period in 2019. Domestic flights saw 180 million passengers, an increase of 8.3%, while international routes saw 18.226 million passengers, up 78.0%. The peak monthly passenger numbers during the summer travel season exceeded 70 million. The international air travel market has shown a rapid recovery trend, with Chinese airlines carrying more than 90% of the 2019 passenger volume for three consecutive months since July.
In terms of cargo transport, overall market demand has continued to rise, particularly for international routes. The third quarter recorded a year-on-year increase in cargo transport volume of 19.4%, reflecting a 19.6% increase compared to 2019. Domestic routes handled 1.364 million tons, up 12.9%, while international routes reached 952,000 tons, with a remarkable growth rate of 30.1%. It’s noteworthy that the civil aviation cargo market maintained strong performance even during the off-peak season, with monthly records set in August and September, peaking at 800,000 tons.
Additionally, flight efficiency metrics have significantly rebounded, generally exceeding levels seen in 2019. By the end of the third quarter, the total number of transport aircraft in the industry reached 4,352, with daily aircraft utilization hitting 9.5 hours, an increase of 0.6 hours year-on-year. In July and August, aircraft utilization rates surpassed those of 2019. The overall passenger load factor and cargo load factor stood at 84.9% and 72.8%, marking increases of 4.4 and 4.2 percentage points respectively, both surpassing pre-pandemic levels from 2019 by 0.8 percentage points.
Furthermore, data shows that in September, the industry achieved a total transport turnover of 12.66 billion ton-kilometers, a year-on-year increase of 18.3% and a 15.6% rise from 2019. The passenger transport volume reached 59.919 million, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 12.0% and a 9.4% increase compared to 2019. Cargo and mail transport amounted to 800,000 tons, up by 13.9% year-on-year and 15.9% compared to 2019.
