CHINA’S three biggest airlines last week reported wider losses for the first quarter when COVID-19 cases rose.

But the industry’s quick recovery, helped by China’s fast containment measures, is expected to bolster full-year results.

China Eastern Airlines recorded a net loss of 3.8 billion yuan (US$587.50 million) in the first quarter, up from a 2.7 billion yuan loss in the previous quarter, while Southern Airlines saw losses deepen to 4 billion yuan from 3.4 billion yuan.

Air China recorded a loss of 6.2 billion yuan, up from 4.3 billion in the fourth quarter, likely weighed by its investment in Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways.

A resurgence of COVID-19 cases in January caused a substantial setback for domestic travel, as the government called for people not to travel for the Lunar New Year holidays, usually the busiest time of year for the airlines.

The outbreaks were quickly brought under control and pent-up demand for travel has since been strong.

By mid-April, total flight tickets issued for travel over the peak May 1-5 period were 5.8 percent ahead of the same point in 2019, and bookings for the extended holiday period from April 28 to May 9 were 9.8 percent ahead, data from travel analytics firm ForwardKeys showed last week.

However, outbound travel remains heavily restricted. Global air traffic will recover more slowly than previously expected from the COVID-19 pandemic, due to vaccination delays, government risk aversion and slow reopening of routes, global airlines body IATA said earlier last month.

(SD-Agencies)