China's top aviation authority forecast on Sunday that the number of airline passengers during the upcoming holiday travel period, or "chunyun," will rise eight percent year on year to 47.52 million.
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Chunyun, the peak travel season during the Spring Festival, starts on Feb 4 and lasts until March 16 this year.
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To cope with the anticipated surge in passenger numbers, airline companies are expected to add 12,000 flights per week, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said.
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State-owned China Southern Airlines, the country's largest carrier by fleet size, said it plans to add 8,000 flights during the 40-day chunyun, bringing its total flights during the period to 85,000, up 27 percent year on year.
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The CAAC said that first-tier cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou will see the busiest passenger flows during the period.
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 China's top aviation authority forecast on Sunday that the number of airline passengers during the upcoming holiday travel period, or "chunyun," will rise eight percent year on year to 47.52 million.
