China will give some airlines greater independence to set domestic fares, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said on October 15, as Beijing moves to boost airfare pricing reforms amid a broader easing of controls over aviation.

Local airlines will be allowed to decide ticket prices on routes that are less than 800 kilometres (497 miles), as well as on longer routes which compete directly with high-speed rail or train lines. Prices are currently mostly set by the regulator.

The government has pledged to deepen its reform of the world's fastest growing civil aviation industry and allow market forces to play a more decisive role in order to improve service quality and efficiency.

The latest rule changes will come into effect on November 1, the CAAC said, adding that authorities would also continue efforts to establish a monitoring system for domestic flight fares.

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