Joy Air’s joyless pilots forced to deliver food as Chinese airline hits rock bottom

A regional airline in western China, entangled in multiple labour disputes and a debt crisis, has suspended all flights – with some pilots forced to make a living by delivering food.

All trips by Joy Air, including for the Labour Day holiday, have been cancelled, with no ticket sales information available for flights, the Xi’an-based airline website showed.

Backed by the Shaanxi provincial government, Joy Air operates a fleet of Chinese-made turboprop-powered MA60 aircraft along domestic routes that connect second- and third-tier cities – particularly in western and central China – and regional hubs like Xi’an.

The main issue behind the suspension is a lack of profitable routes, said Jason Li Hanming, a United States-based analyst.

“The internal routes within Shaanxi are gradually being replaced by the extending high speed railway network for a cheaper, more affordable price,” Li said. “That is constantly impeding Joy Air from building a healthy cash flow and eventually impacts the company negatively.”

Most regional Chinese airlines have long struggled with profitability due to relatively low passenger volume and higher operational costs, said industry consultancy Zhiyanzhan Institute in a report published in February.