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Likewise, similar measures are carried out on flights, ferries and
long-distance buses, as well as at airports, bus stations and piers. Also, passengers are required to follow epidemic control protocols
during the journey, including presenting their health code, going
through temperature checks and wearing masks. To help reduce nonessential travel and lower the risk of the virus
spreading, ticket return policies for rail and air travel have been
changed to better serve customers. According to the Civil Aviation Administration of China, flight
tickets during the travel season can be returned or changed once without
extra charge. Since Jan 14, train tickets could be returned without charge up to
eight days before the trip. The limit was previously 15 days in advance.
Extra charges are still levied when tickets are returned within seven
days. In addition, train tickets can be purchased 15 days before the
trip instead of 30 days. Meeting demand Meanwhile, China Eastern Airlines has scheduled about 8,000 flights
to meet the demands of travelers during the Spring Festival travel rush. According to the carrier, the most popular destinations include
Shanghai, Xi'an, Qingdao, Chengdu, Guangzhou and Hangzhou, with each of
their airports expecting to receive more than 100 extra flights during
the peak period. Compared with last year, air travel demand has been on the decline.
Many trips have been canceled due to safety concerns arising from the
emergence of new COVID-19 cases in China. "The amount of air travelers has remained flat in the past few days,
and on the first day of the travel rush, there has been no significant
rise in passenger flow, probably because they are shelving their travel
plans and have been dissuaded by the need for additional documents,"
said Yu Ping, a manager with China Eastern Airlines. On the first day of the Spring Festival travel rush, 7,638 flights
were canceled as of noon, accounting for 51.93 percent of the total
planned flights of the day, according to data from Chinese aviation data
and solution service provider AirSavvi. Meanwhile, China Eastern Airlines and Shanghai-based budget carrier
Spring Airlines both announced that customers who have bought tickets
for flights during the 40-day period can apply for refunds or reschedule
their trips for free. All those traveling through the terminals at Shanghai's two airports
are required to wear masks and have their temperature measured with
infrared thermometers, according to the Shanghai Airport Authority. The authority has also prepared masks, protective gear and
disinfection products at departure halls to meet the needs of travelers,
official sources said.
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