Chinese Airlines’ Pandemic Losses Balloon to $18.5 Billion

Domestic air services have propped up carriers, but not enough to stem losses.

(Bloomberg) — Total losses at China’s big three state-owned airlines during the Covid pandemic ballooned to 127.6 billion yuan ($18.5 billion) as of the end of June amid continued disease control disruptions.

Air China Ltd.’s net loss in the first six months of 2022 widened 186% to 19.4 billion yuan from the same period last year, the company said Tuesday. China Southern Airlines Co. reported a deficit of 11.5 billion yuan, and China Eastern Airlines Corp. was 18.7 billion yuan in the red.