CAAC outlines support for regional aviation development, 69 new regional airports by 2015

CAAC announced (02-Sep-2013), via its Weibo page, that China will continue to support the development of the nation's regional aviation sector through the construction of 69 regional airports by 2015. It will also encourage airlines to introduce regional aircraft, including foreign made and Chinese made regional aircraft such as the MA60 through policy concessions, and continue to provide subsidies for regional operations. The civil authority added it has allocated CNY1000 million (USD156.3 million) subsidy p/a for regional aviation including the operation of regional airports and regional routes. Most of the new regional airports will be located in Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Tibet, Yunnan and Heilongjiang, according to CAAC deputy director Xia Xinghua. According to National Development and Reform Commission Wang Fei, some 90% of the country's regional airports are operating at a loss.