(Yicai Global) March 15 -- China Eastern Airlines will again allow customers to refund or change their tickets for free, as the country grapples with a new outbreak of Covid-19. Other carriers are expected to follow suit.

Some ticketing agents received notice from Shanghai-based China Eastern yesterday that customers can get free refunds for domestic flights scheduled for before April 17 that were ticketed before March 20, Yicai Global has learned.

Covid-19 cases were recently reported all over China. According to the National Health Commission’s daily report, there were over 3,500 cases yesterday, along with almost 1,650 asymptomatic infections. That was up from 1,337 and 788 on March 13.

Yesterday, China Railway and the Ministry of Transport also announced free ticket refunds for passengers traveling by rail and water.

Chinese airlines will not make a profit this month as demand falls and fuel prices rise, sources in their marketing departments told Yicai Global. Most domestic carriers have reported losses for two consecutive years because of Covid-19.

During the peak travel period of the Chinese New Year in 2020, the industry refunded over 20 million tickets worth more than CNY20 billion (USD3.1 billion), according to the Civil Aviation Administration. Last year, two large free ticket refund and change policies were implemented during the lunar new year and summer holidays, causing heavy losses to the industry.

Editor: Futura Costaglione