In Depth: Domestic Carriers Add Global Routes as Foreign Rivals Quit China Amid Sluggish Demand, Russia Ban

Since China dropped the Covid-era restrictions that slowed international flights to a trickle, the experience of domestic and foreign airlines has diverged sharply.

Many foreign carriers are scaling back their operations in China and in some cases completely withdrawing from the domestic market, largely because the need to avoid Russian airspace has sent their costs spiraling and made them uncompetitive against Chinese rivals who can still fly over the country’s northern neighbor.