Big three Chinese airlines extend losing streak as rivals rise after COVID

China Southern, Air China, China Eastern aim to escape red with international ramp-up

20240405 China Southern Airlines and China Eastern Airlines

Aircraft of China Southern Airlines and China Eastern Airlines are parked at Beijing Capital International Airport. (Photo by Takaki Kashiwabara)

KENJI KAWASE, Nikkei Asia chief business news correspondent

HONG KONG -- China's big three state-owned airlines are lagging behind as domestic and Asian competitors dramatically improve their bottom lines following the end of COVID-19 travel restrictions.

China Southern Airlines, Air China and China Eastern Airlines recently logged total net losses of 13.3 billion yuan ($1.87 billion) for 2023, even though aggregate revenue jumped more than twofold on the year to 427.6 billion yuan as each one beat its pre-pandemic figure. All three have now posted net losses for four straight years.

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