Some airlines in China are offering dirt-cheap flights in the face of travel restrictions tied to the coronavirus.
A one-way flight from Shanghai to Chongqing on Spring Airlines is going for just $4.10 if the traveler is a member of its frequent flyer club, according to the South China Morning Post. The same airline also offers a 994-mile flight from Shanghai to Harbin for $9.80.
Another Chinese airline, Shenzhen Airlines, has a $14 ticket for a 621-mile flight from Shenzhen to Chongqing, about 5% of the normal cost for that flight.
The discounts come as about 10,000 flights have been canceled in China per day as the country attempts to manage its coronavirus outbreak.
“Considering lower average costs of operating in mainland China, carriers could potentially offer deeper discounts while making slim profits or just breaking even,” said Luya You, an aviation analyst with Bank of Communication International.
“As outbreak numbers stabilize or even decline, carriers will likely adjust their fares as well, so these low fares will not last if the situation quickly turns for the better,” Luya added.
China saw a 75% decline in daily passenger traffic between Jan. 25 and Feb. 14, which coincided with the busy Chinese Lunar New Year Holiday.
Globally, there have been more than 82,500 cases of the illness and 2,810 deaths, most of which have been contained to mainland China. The World Health Organization has declared the virus, which has spread to every continent except Antarctica, a global public health emergency.
