Core Viewpoint - China Eastern Airlines has shown a significant recovery in its financial performance, with a notable increase in revenue and a return to profitability in the third quarter of 2025 [1] Financial Performance - The company reported operating revenue of 106.41 billion yuan for the first three quarters of 2025, representing a year-on-year increase of 3.73% [1] - The net profit attributable to shareholders reached 2.103 billion yuan, a turnaround from a loss of 138 million yuan in the same period last year [1] - Basic earnings per share were reported at 0.09 yuan [1] Market and Industry Insights - CICC noted that the third-quarter performance of China Eastern Airlines met their expectations, indicating a recovery in business travel [1] - The company benefits from high-quality business routes and a significant proportion of business travelers, which enhances its profit elasticity [1] - Since September, ticket prices have been on the rise, attributed to the aviation industry's efforts to combat "involution," suggesting that the company is well-positioned to benefit from this trend [1]

Core Insights - The civil aviation industry in China experienced a peak in passenger flow during the National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday from October 1 to October 8, 2025, with a total of 19.138 million passengers transported, averaging 2.392 million passengers per day, which is a 3.2% increase compared to the same period in 2024 [1] - The average ticket price for domestic flights during this period was 849 yuan, showing a slight increase of 0.3% year-on-year, indicating a stabilization in overall ticket prices [1] - The industry is witnessing a turning point from a situation of high passenger numbers but low profitability, with various airlines adjusting their flight schedules and increasing capacity to meet demand [1][3] Passenger Traffic and Flight Operations - During the holiday, 39 domestic airlines operated, with the three major airlines accounting for 42.7% of the market share, and 30 airlines reported a year-on-year increase in daily flights [2] - China Eastern Airlines executed over 15,400 domestic and international flights, transporting more than 2.278 million passengers, achieving a daily flight volume of over 3,000, which is a 3.9% increase year-on-year [2] - China Southern Airlines planned to add over 2,700 flights during the holiday period, with a total of 48,000 flights scheduled [2] International Travel Trends - The international flight market also saw growth, with an average of over 2,000 international passenger flights executed daily, an 11.1% increase compared to 2024 [4] - There was a significant increase in outbound ticket bookings, with a growth of over 50% for flights from October 1 to October 8, and popular destinations saw a more than 30% increase in bookings [5] - China Eastern Airlines executed a total of 2,171 international flights, transporting 352,000 passengers during the holiday [5][6] Capacity Adjustments and Market Outlook - Airlines are proactively adjusting their capacity and routes to meet the increased demand during the holiday, with China Southern Airlines opening new routes and increasing flight frequencies on popular routes [5][6] - The industry is expected to continue focusing on international business, with airlines likely to further enhance their international route offerings in response to rising demand for outbound and inbound travel [6]

Core Viewpoint - The Chinese civil aviation market is experiencing growth in transport scale and competition, with overall transport turnover, passenger transport volume, and seat occupancy rate increasing year-on-year, despite challenges from excessive competition and a complex demand environment [1] Domestic Market - The domestic market is characterized by a "volume increase and price decrease" phenomenon, leading to a decline in operational revenue for most airlines on domestic routes [1][5] - In the first half of 2025, the total transport turnover in the domestic market grew by 11.4%, and passenger transport volume increased by 3.9%, while the average ticket price for economy class fell by 6.9% compared to the same period in 2024 [5] - Major airlines like China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, and Air China reported varying degrees of revenue growth, with respective revenues of 862.91 billion, 807.57 billion, and 668.22 billion yuan, reflecting year-on-year growth rates of 1.77%, 1.6%, and 4.09% [1][3] Profitability - Despite pressure on domestic route prices, factors like falling oil prices and currency appreciation have alleviated some cost pressures for airlines [2] - Among the three major airlines, China Eastern Airlines had the least net profit loss, while China Southern Airlines saw an increase in its net profit loss [2] - The four major private airlines showed varying degrees of improvement in profitability [2] International Market - The international market saw significant capacity expansion, with a net increase of 123 international routes and a 28.5% year-on-year growth in international passenger transport volume in the first half of 2025 [11] - The three major airlines increased their international route capacity by 24.38%, 16.7%, and 22.5%, respectively, leading to growth in international passenger revenue despite some decline in passenger kilometer revenue [12][14] - Private airlines also expanded their international capacity significantly, with Spring Airlines, Juneyao Airlines, and Hainan Airlines increasing their international capacity by 41.04%, 65.55%, and 60.09%, respectively [13][14] Operational Strategies - Airlines are focusing on expanding international routes, particularly in Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia, with significant capacity increases noted for routes to Japan and South Korea [15][16] - Domestic airlines are also enhancing their route networks, particularly in the Yangtze River Delta region, to improve connectivity and operational efficiency [16][17] Industry Regulations - The "anti-involution" policy has been initiated in the domestic aviation industry, with the release of the "Self-Regulation Convention for Air Passenger Transport" aimed at curbing unhealthy market practices [8][9]

Core Viewpoint - The Chinese civil aviation market is experiencing growth in transport scale and competition, with a notable increase in transport turnover, passenger transport volume, and seat occupancy rate, but facing challenges from excessive competition and a complex demand environment [1][4]. Domestic Market Summary - The domestic market shows a "volume increase and price decrease" trend, leading to a decline in operational revenue for most airlines on domestic routes [1][4]. - In the first half of 2025, the total transport turnover increased by 11.4%, and passenger transport volume grew by 3.9%, while the average economy class ticket price fell by 6.9% compared to the same period in 2024 [4]. - Major airlines reported varying revenue growth: China Southern Airlines, Air China, and China Eastern Airlines achieved revenues of 862.91 billion, 807.57 billion, and 668.22 billion yuan, with year-on-year growth rates of 1.77%, 1.6%, and 4.09% respectively [1][3]. Profitability Situation - Despite pressure on domestic route prices, falling oil prices and currency appreciation have alleviated some cost pressures for airlines [2]. - Among the three major airlines, China Eastern Airlines had the least net profit loss, while China Southern Airlines' losses expanded [2]. - The profitability of the four major private airlines improved to varying degrees [2]. International Market Summary - The international market saw significant capacity expansion, with a net increase of 123 international routes and a 28.5% increase in passenger transport volume compared to the previous year [9]. - Major airlines increased their international route capacity: China Eastern Airlines by 24.38%, Air China by 16.7%, and China Southern Airlines by 22.5% [9][11]. - Despite a decline in passenger kilometer revenue, the increase in international passenger transport volume positively impacted revenue performance for these airlines [9]. Competitive Landscape - The domestic aviation industry continues to face intense competition, characterized by product service homogeneity and insufficient control over sales channels [4][6]. - The "anti-involution" policy has been initiated, with the release of the "Self-Discipline Convention for Air Passenger Transport" aimed at regulating unhealthy market behaviors [6][7]. Specific Airline Performance - Hainan Airlines and Spring Airlines increased their domestic route capacity by 2.67% and 3.61% respectively, while China Southern Airlines and Air China saw declines in passenger kilometer revenue [6]. - Huaxia Airlines significantly increased its domestic route capacity by 21.42%, resulting in a 27.13% increase in passenger turnover and a 12.41% revenue growth [5]. International Route Focus - Airlines are focusing on routes to Japan and Southeast Asia, with Spring Airlines reporting a 116.8% increase in capacity for Japanese routes [12]. - New international routes have been opened by various airlines, enhancing connectivity to Europe and countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative [13].