The April routine news conference of Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) opened on April 18 and Zhang Qing, Deputy Inspector from Development Planning Department introduced the civil aviation economy operation condition on the conference. In the first quarter of 2018, China's passenger throughput reached 146 million and freight volume reached 1.71 million tonnes, increasing 11.6% and 8.3% respectively year on year.

Chinese Civil Aviation transportation enjoyed fast growth in March, said Zhang Qing, and the whole turnover reached 10.13 billion tonne kilometer with a growth rate of 15.3% year on year, the first time to be over than 10 billion. The domestic air routes witnessed a throughput of 6.57 billion tonne kilometer and 3.56 tonne kilometer for international air routes, increasing 15.3% and 15.1% year on year respectively. As for the first quarter, the total transportation turnover was 28.54 billion tonne kilometer, at a year-on-year growth rate of 12.7%. From the perspective of airline structure, the domestic air routes' turnover was 18.51 tonne kilometer, 11.8% higher than last year and the international air routes' turnover was 10.02 tonne kilometer, 14.2% higher than last year.

In respect of passenger transportation, domestic market kept a rapid growth while the international market was restoring. All in all, there were 51.40 million travelers in the whole industry, 15.9% up than last year, including 46.11 million people in domestic air routes and 5.29 million in international routes. The international air routes marked the first growth rate exceeding 20% at 20.3% since September, 2016. As for the whole season, the total traveler turnover reached 146 million, increasing 11.6% year on year, among which, the domestic market contributed 131 million passengers and the international ones contributed 15.48 million people, with a year-on-year growth of 11.6% and 11.0% dividedly.

The cargo transportation in March kept a fine growth, especially the mail service express. All in all, 615 thousand tonnes of air freight was completed in the whole industry, 4.0% up than last year, including 414 thousand tonnes in domestic air routes and 202 thousand tonnes in international routes. As for the whole season, the total freight turnover reached 1710 thousand tonnes, increasing 8.3% year on year, among which, the domestic market contributed 1170 thousand tonnes and the international ones contributed 540 thousand tonnes with a year-on-year growth of 5.4% and 14.4% dividedly.

In terms of flight revenue, the aircraft daily utilization rate was 9.5 hours in March, same as last March. The passenger load factor of scheduled flight was 84.4%, 1.4% higher than last March. There have been 3339 transport airplanes and 2372 general aircraft in the market by the end of March.