(CNN) — From offering tickets at the cost of a vegetable to multi-seat discounts, Chinese airlines are rolling out a series of deals to attract travelers in the run-up to Labor Day — the first major holiday since the nation came to a standstill due to Covid-19.
Resuming old routes, adding new flights
“On the other hand, due to the large-scale spread of the virus overseas as well as international flight restrictions, international routes still show a downward trend. The recovery of international routes may require more time.”
According to VariFlight’s data, airline operations in mainland China plummeted over 80% between the end of January and February.
Domestic flights began to rebound in mid-February and as of this week have risen to almost half of pre-Covid 19 levels.
‘Bok choy-price’ tickets and ‘Magic Boxes’
For now, airlines are focused on the upcoming Labor Day holiday, from May 1-5.
Some airlines have been offering wild deals — dubbed “bok choy-price” tickets by local media because they’re as cheap as vegetables — on domestic routes to attract fliers.
Unlike a normal voucher, these magic boxes can only be unlocked during two specific periods during the fourth quarter of this year and can be exchanged for any domestic tickets at any price value.
Less gimmicky but also economical, West Air and Urumqi Air are offering buy-one-get-one-free tickets, while Air Changan and Hainan Airlines are selling multiple package deal flights.
Anti-coronavirus flight packages
Though aviation is picking up, the Covid-19 pandemic has had a lasting impact on how airlines are selling seats as well, with carriers attempting to offer peace of mind to travelers.
The ticket price includes coronavirus-specific insurance and an anti-virus pack with face masks and anti-bacterial wipes.