A low-altitude air route linking two localities in east China’s Shanghai Municipality and neighbouring Jiangsu Province has been launched on a trial basis as part of the country’s efforts to boost its low-altitude economy.
On Saturday, a commercial passenger helicopter took off from a terminal in the city of Kunshan and landed at an air base in Shanghai about 30 minutes later, marking the trial run of the air route.
According to the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Information Technology, this mode of transport will reduce the travel time between the two locations by about an hour and a half.
The test was conducted by Shanghai New Sky Helicopter Co., Ltd., a Shanghai-based aviation enterprise approved by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).
The route is expected to officially launch on August 18, with flight tickets ranging from 1,600 to 1,800 yuan (about $224 to $252) per person each way.
The route is expected to attract 20,000 to 30,000 passengers a year and the economic benefits from operation will exceed 10 million yuan, according to estimates.
The low-altitude economy covers a chain of industries including aircraft research and development, infrastructure construction and operation, and services related to aviation activities.
Low-altitude passenger transportation is an important part of the low-altitude economy. The Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Information Technology and other relevant departments have promoted the development of low-altitude air routes in the Yangtze River Delta region of China, and promoted Shanghai’s low-altitude economy.
Shanghai will launch more low-altitude air routes connecting the city with other localities in the Yangtze River Delta region, and develop low-altitude tourist routes within the city.
Data from the AACC show that the volume of China’s low-lying economy exceeded 500 billion yuan in 2023 and is expected to reach 2 trillion yuan by 2030.
