China’s major airlines face full-year losses as fuel costs rise

Business · First reported 2 Nov, 04:31 · Updated 05:04

Image: Wikimedia Commons · NASA Johnson Space Center · Public domain

China’s three largest airlines reported weaker third-quarter results and losses for the first nine months of the year. Higher jet fuel costs, weak domestic fares and typhoon disruptions weighed on performance; analysts expect losses to continue into the seasonally weaker fourth quarter.

Air China and China Eastern are projected to record a seventh consecutive annual net loss, while China Southern is projected to return to a full-year loss.
All three carriers reported losses for the first nine months, after being profitable in the same period of 2025.
Fuel prices, weak domestic fares and typhoon disruptions pressured results; the report says fares rose year on year after October’s Golden Week holiday as airlines limited capacity.

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Key facts

Air China Q3 net profit: 270.6 million yuan, down 92.6% year on year.
China Eastern Q3 net profit: 64 million yuan, down 98.2% year on year.
China Southern Q3 result: A net loss of 609 million yuan, compared with a 3.84 billion yuan profit a year earlier.
Air China yield estimate: Huatai Securities estimated yields fell 5% in the third quarter.
Share-price declines: The reports say Air China, China Eastern and China Southern shares fell 38%, 46% and 39%, respectively, this year.