China is on track to break records with the highest number of air passenger trips in 2024, as stated by Song Zhiyong, the head of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). Speaking at the Asia Pacific Summit for Aviation Safety 2024 (AP-SAS 2024) in Beijing, Song mentioned that the country could reach 700 million air passenger trips this year.
In the first half of the year, China’s civil aviation sector saw significant growth with a rise of 11.9 percent in total transport turnover, 9 percent in passenger trips, and 18.7 percent in cargo and mail transport volume compared to the same period in 2019. This growth has solidified China’s position as the second-largest civil aviation transportation market globally for 19 consecutive years, contributing over 20 percent to global aviation growth.
Currently, China has 4,335 transport aircraft and 262 airports, with a total transport capacity of 1.6 billion passengers. Additionally, the annual flight time of unmanned aerial vehicles has reached tens of millions of hours, with 100,000 newly registered drones each month.
The AP-SAS 2024, organized by the CAAC in collaboration with the Flight Safety Foundation and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, aims to address safety-related challenges and strategies to improve aviation safety. This year’s summit theme, “Shaping Safety Excellence: A Human-Focused Approach,” focuses on enhancing safety measures in the aviation industry.
Launched in 2023, the AP-SAS serves as a platform for aviation professionals to exchange knowledge and expertise on aviation safety topics, fostering a collaborative environment for industry leaders to connect and learn from one another.