4 - Low-cost aviation in China: its history and its changing context

Abstract

This chapter aims to understand low-cost aviation in a large, vigorous, yet relatively strictly regulated aviation market—China. We first look back at the history of China's civil aviation industry and especially low-cost aviation. Second, we review literature, explaining how the historic, policy, social-cultural, and industrial context has shaped low-cost aviation in China. Then, we present some data on the current status of China's low-cost aviation. After that, we discuss recent and foreseeable changes in the context of China's low-cost aviation. Based on these changes, we prospect the industry's future. We argue that historic, policy, social-cultural, and industrial context has led to the underdevelopment of China's low-cost aviation in the past, but recent changes in this context could empower the growth of this industry in the future after the temporary hardship caused by the pandemic.