[Commentary] On April 9, the Civil Aviation Administration of China held a press conference in Beijing. Sun Shaohua, deputy director of the Operation and Control Center of the Civil Aviation Administration, introduced the operation of Wuhan Tianhe Airport after the “unblocking” of Wuhan, saying that Tianhe Airport operated smoothly and in good order on the first day of resumption.
[Commentary] From 0:00 on April 8, Wuhan lifted the control measures for the passage from Han to Hubei, and Wuhan Tianhe Airport resumed domestic passenger flights. Sun Shaohua said that before the resumption of the flight, Tianhe Airport formulated a thorough work plan for resumption.
[Same period] Sun Shaohua, Deputy Director of Operation Control Center, Civil Aviation Administration of China
It has organized multiple rounds of safety inspections, and inspected and rectified the bids in terms of personnel, qualifications, facilities, airworthiness, fire safety, and epidemic prevention and control. The public areas of the airport were completely eliminated, and pre-plan drills were organized to prevent and control passengers' outbreaks and prevent the import of overseas outbreaks.
[Commentary] At 7:25 am on the 8th, the first China Eastern Airlines flight MU2527 to Sanya took off, marking the official resumption of the commercial passenger flight at Wuhan Tianhe Airport after 76 days of suspension.
[Same period] Sun Shaohua, Deputy Director of Operation Control Center, Civil Aviation Administration of China
On the first day of resumption, Wuhan Airport operated smoothly and the airport operated in good order. A total of 221 inbound and outbound flights were guaranteed throughout the day, with a flight clearance rate of 99.01%. A total of 11,714 passengers were guaranteed safe travel, including 107 flights departing from Han, 7,119 passengers, 114 arriving flights, and 4,595 passengers.
[Commentary] At the press conference, the person in charge also responded to the problem of high-value reselling international air tickets. Earlier, the Civil Aviation Administration issued a "five one" policy, that is, an airline keeps a route in a country and has at most one flight a week. In this context, international air tickets are exceptionally precious, resulting in the behavior of reselling air tickets at high prices. The relevant person in charge said that the Civil Aviation Administration has issued a notice on April 7th, which has imposed strict requirements on airlines, OTA platforms and sales agency companies.
[Same period] Liu Lusong, spokesman of the Civil Aviation Administration of China and director of the General Department
The airlines are required to fulfill their main responsibilities, further expand direct sales channels, strictly implement international freight rates policies, implement the regulations for clearly marked prices, and promptly, accurately and comprehensively announce the applicable conditions of international freight rates. Each OTA platform should urge the sales agency companies on the platform to strictly implement relevant policies. The OTA platform shall strictly handle the acts of illegal operations by the sales agency enterprises on the platform.
[Commentary] Liu Lusong introduced that domestic airlines have recently strengthened management of sales channels and expanded the proportion of direct sales. By shortening the time of booking and issuing tickets, they effectively avoided the behavior of occupying seats and reselling high prices.
Reporter Liu Chao from Beijing
Editor in charge: [Liu Xian]