Airlines win draw for Shanghai flight slots

Six domestic airlines won the draw for seven pairs of flight slots at Shanghai Pudong International Airport on Wednesday, the first time the Chinese authority had adopted a draw system.

The successful carriers were Shanghai Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, West Air, Xiamen Airlines, Chongqing Airlines and Spring Airlines.

The winners have three-year usage rights from this Jan 31 until Jan 31, 2019.

They also need to pay usage fees and will be charged 0.8 to 1.2 times the basic price, which is 344,000 yuan for each pair for three years.

Even paying at the highest rate, the Shanghai slots still cost much less than in Guangzhou, which auctioned some of its new slots in December.

Five domestic airlines won nine pairs of slots at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport during the auction offering 550 million yuan in total.

Shanghai Pudong International Airport provided 50 percent of its new slots for the draw and the remaining new slots on international as well as regional routes will continue to be assigned in the usual manner, according to CAAC East China Region Administration.