Originally Posted by
mlin32
I think a lot of the problem stems from the fact that mainland China was the last of the major markets to open up, and thus people already booked their Asian holidays to other places like Thailand, Japan, etc.....
Furthermore, outbound group tours from China have been restricted to only a handful of markets until recently. When little outbound demand, the Chinese carriers were not rapid to expand their fréquences = fewer flights from outside countries to China.
All the points listed in that blog post are valid, but wouldn't turn off a seasoned traveller.
Based on my observations, they have increased flights at every opportunity, and airfares have plummeted as a result. For example, China-SE Asia flights now cost less than $200 each way. As recently as February, getting down there for less than $1000 was challenging.