(Yicai) Oct. 30 -- Canada has scrapped restrictions on Chinese carriers implemented nearly three years ago, reopening some air routes and permitting 24 flights per week.

Canada lifted a ruling from Feb. 3, 2022, which limited Chinese mainland airlines to run just six round-trip passenger flights to the North American country per week and prohibited direct flights from Beijing, the Canadian Transportation Agency announced on Oct. 28.

The restrictions on Air China, Beijing Capital Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Hainan Airlines Holding, Sichuan Airlines, and Xiamen Airlines were no longer in effect starting Oct. 25, the agency noted.

Several Chinese airlines have been granted additional quotas for China-Canada flights and are applying to increase their number, but only those that already operate on the route can apply, relevant carriers told Yicai. In addition, the new weekly cap is still quite limiting compared to the over 70 flights a week allowed before the Covid-19 pandemic, they said. 

Many China-Canada routes were suspended during the pandemic and had a slow recovery after its end, with the main reason being that Canada imposed restrictions on the number of flights for Chinese airlines, requiring the total number operated by Chinese and Canadian airlines to be equal and not to exceed six a week.

Air China, China Eastern, China Southern, Xiamen Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, and Hainan Airlines run flights on China-Canada routes, while Air Canada is the only Canadian carrier doing so, according to data from Flight Manager.

With the removal of restrictions, flights between Beijing and Canada are also likely to resume. Before the pandemic, Beijing Capital, Air China, Hainan Airlines, and Air Canada operated flights between the Chinese capital and Vancouver, Pearson, Calgary, and Trudeau.

With demand outpacing supply, ticket prices for China-Canada routes have stayed high, with economy class tickets from Shanghai to Vancouver going for over CNY20,000 (USD2,805). 

The number of flights to Canada is expected to be restored in stages, with airfares dropping significantly and making travel more convenient, according to Lin Zhijie, an insider from the civil aviation sector.

Editor: Martin Kadiev