Jining offers free flights to support elderly

People in Jining, Shandong province, who are at least 65 years old, can take two free flights per year from Jining Qufu Airport during non-holiday periods, the city's civil aviation development center said.

The initiative is a part of the city's efforts to care for the elderly, said Wang Dongchun, the center's deputy director.

In addition, family members who accompany elderly passengers qualify for a 10 percent discount, Wang said.

Shandong had more than 21.2 million residents aged 60 or over last year, accounting for 20.9 percent of its permanent residents, according to the seventh national population census. As the only province whose elderly population surpasses 20 million, Shandong has developed a series of supportive policies.

The province launched six preferential policies last year to enrich and ease older people's lives, including free travel by urban public transport, free tickets for scenic spots and expedited medical treatment.