Air regulator opens ‘green channel’ for chartered flights

China’s civil aviation authority is allowing domestic and foreign passenger airlines to apply for “green channels” for chartered flights to airports in the Chinese mainland, which means airlines have more chances to transport more passengers to China now.

According to the document posted online, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) will temporarily adjust its policy and give “green channels” to chartered flights, and the application period will be shortened to three days from seven days previously.

Eight countries – Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Switzerland – are on the list, the Global Times learned. The US is not on the list.

The document clarified that the CAAC’s move is intended to improve the timeliness and flexibility of passenger flight plans.

It’s clear that the new adjustment is supplementary to the “Five-One” Policy, and provides more chances for airlines that previously could only operate once per week from one country, said Zheng Hongfeng, CEO of industry information provider VariFlight.

However, Lin Zhijie, a veteran market watcher, told the Global Times that the “green channels” move does not mean the “Five-One” policy is not effective.

He said each flight needs the air regulator’s approval, and it also needs to be approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the chartered flights are serving staff working at foreign companies in China.

On Wednesday, two chartered flights took off from Japan for Wuhan, Central China’s Hubei Province. On the flight were about 140 Japanese nationals returning to their work positions in China, Japan’s Kyodo news agency said.