China Southern Airlines Co, the nation's largest carrier, and other Chinese airlines may fly 16 percent more passengers this year because of economic growth and rising inbound tourism.

 

The nation's airlines may carry 185 million passengers in 2007, the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China said in a statement on its Website yesterday.

 

The number of passengers rose 16 percent to 160 million a year earlier, it added. Travelers are likely to take a total of 1.5 billion domestic flights in China in 2007, eight percent more than a year earlier, as the country's economic growth makes leisure and business trips affordable to more people.

 

(Shanghai Dialy June 7, 2007)