While each airline has launched promotional events, AirAsia recently launched a “0 yuan promotion” event. It is an event that offers a huge discount on millions of seats in 130 destinations around the world, which are booked from the 19th to the 25th of this month. Promotional tickets from Guangzhou, China to Bangkok, Thailand start at 0 yuan, which does not include taxes and fees. The 0 yuan ticket is a marketing tool for several low-cost airlines (LCCs) in China. There are strict conditions, such as paying membership, purchasing drinks and food, and not being able to change their schedules. On the 20th, Weibo (微博, China’s version of Twitter) made headlines with the theme of “8 yuan for flights from Shanghai to Osaka” (about $1). In addition, the minimum price for a one-way flight from Shanghai to Jeju Island on the 26th is 59 yuan (about $9), but there is a condition that an additional 79 yuan (about $10) money card that can only be used by the airline must be purchased.
Since the Lunar New Year’s Day, the price of domestic flights in China has also fallen sharply, with the lowest price of return flights from Guangzhou to Beijing or Shanghai being discounted by about 20%. The low price of domestic flights in China is expected to continue until the end of next month. Market analysts have been concerned that Chinese consumption may shrink again after the Lunar New Year, drawing keen attention.
During this year’s Lunar New Year holiday, the number of travelers in China increased by 19% compared to 2019, before the coronavirus, and the expenditure of domestic travelers in China also increased by 7.7% from five years ago.
SALLY LEE
US ASIA JOURNAL
