Key facts
- China's three major state-owned airlines are counting on overseas demand to improve poor financial performance, according to the report.
- The carriers blame a Middle East war for losses and acknowledged domestic competition the report called involution.
China's three major state-owned airlines are counting more on overseas demand to lift them out of poor financial performance, according to a report dated November 4, 2026. The carriers' approach echoes Chinese companies in other industries trying to offset severe domestic competition and a sluggish economy, the report said. The report said the airlines blame a war in the Middle East for their losses while acknowledging domestic competition they described as involution. It named no figures for the losses or for overseas demand.