Statistics from the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC) show the total income of domestic airlines in the first six months has reached 47.3 billion yuan (US$ 5.7 billion), up 6.9 percent year-on-year.
Passenger figures also increased 14.4 percent during the periodto 40 million, China Daily reports Thursday.
Sources with the CAAC said although two fatal crashes in April and May slowed domestic business, international travel brought in 240 million yuan (29 million US dollars).
Statistics show nearly 100,000 football fans took round-trip flights to attend the World Cup matches in the Republic of Korea.
The revival of China-Europe air routes in the first two quarters of the year helped solidify the positive trend.
CAAC officials said busy traffic is expected to continue, because summer and autumn are traditional peak periods for domestic airlines.
( Xinhua News Agency July 18, 2002)
