Shanghai-based carriers to resume outbound flights

The Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Shanghai-based Spring Airlines announced it will resume flights between Shanghai and Thailand's Phuket, as well as Guangdong province's Guangzhou and Chiang Mai of Thailand, starting in January.

In the meantime, flights from Shanghai to Hong Kong and Taipei will also be relaunched this month.

The budget carrier said resumption of flights between Shanghai and Singapore is being considered.

Likewise, private carrier Juneyao Air also announced late December it will resume its flights between Shanghai and Chiang Mai starting January 18, with more flights to other outbound destinations likely to resume.

The relaunched offshore flights of the two Shanghai-based carriers is a response to the latest decision of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, which removed certain COVID-19 restrictions on international passenger flights starting January 8, 2023.

The relaxation includes that they will no longer identify high-risk inbound flights, and will remove the 75 percent passenger load factor cap for inbound flights.