Low-cost airlines increase flights along Belt and Road routes

China's largest low-cost airline Spring Airlines said on June 6 that it will launch four direct flights, mainly for tourists, from Shanghai to Dunhuang and Zhangye of Northwest China's Gansu province, and Kaili and Anshun of Southwest China's Guizhou province in July.

Dunhuang and Zhangye used to be important cities in ancient Silk Road, and contain tourist attractions on today’s Silk Road Economic Belt. With the deepening of the Belt and Road Initiative, West and Central China are transforming to a new opening-up forefront of the country.

Spring Airlines started flights from Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Chengdu to Siem Reap, Cambodia this year, and will launch flights from Shanghai and Shenzhen to Phnom Penh.

The airlines launched flights from Shanghai to Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam in May.

Malaysia’s AirAsia Airline, another major low-cost airline in Asia, now operates 259 air lines covering Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.

Chen Kailin, president of AirAsia Airline in North Asia, said after China proposed the Belt and Road Initiative, the countries along the Belt and Road routes show strong demand for tourism. Chen said the company will have more air lines in Central and West China.