Core Insights - The overall accessibility of regional aviation in China is improving, with significant enhancements in connectivity to county-level cities and a notable increase in passenger throughput at regional airports [1][2][4] Group 1: Accessibility Improvements - By 2024, the accessibility time for major and regional cities to national prefecture-level cities will be 13.8 hours and 25.4 hours respectively, showing improvements of 2.0% and 2.7% compared to 2023 [1] - Accessibility for county-level cities has improved by 4.8% compared to 2023, surpassing the 1.2% increase for prefecture-level regional cities [1] - Regions such as Northwest, Xinjiang, and North China have seen significant improvements in regional city connectivity, with increases of 11.7%, 7.5%, and 7.1% respectively [1] Group 2: Market Drivers - The growth of regional aviation is supported by economic growth and the development of the tourism industry, which has led to increased demand for personalized and convenient travel options [2] - The rise of niche tourism trends has notably increased passenger throughput at regional airports, with some airports experiencing over 50% growth compared to the previous year [2] Group 3: Service Quality and Regulation - Despite improvements, there is a need for further enhancement of service quality and market regulation in regional aviation, as many regional airports still lack direct connections to hub airports [4] - The "Self-Regulation Convention for Air Passenger Transport" was introduced to address market issues and promote compliance with legal standards, aiming to improve service quality and operational practices [4][5] Group 4: Future Potential - The regional aviation sector is expected to experience significant growth, with projections indicating that passenger throughput at regional airports could reach 177 million by 2030 [6] - Innovations in technology, such as hydrogen and electric regional aircraft, are anticipated to reshape the industry landscape [6][7] - Increased financial support from the government and local authorities is expected to alleviate operational pressures on regional airlines and enhance connectivity solutions [7][8]
多重因素利好 支线航空飞出新天地