Nantong Xingdong International Airport. [Photo/ntjoy.com]

Starting Aug 4, airlines are required to offer free refunds for tickets that were booked before Aug 4 for domestic trips scheduled to take place from Aug 4 to 31, the Civil Aviation Administration of China announced on Aug 3.

Eligible passengers can apply for a full refund after the midnight of Aug 3 and before the flight departure. Neither airline companies nor agencies should charge refund fees.

Those who had applied for refunds before the midnight of Aug 3 are not covered by the policy.

Since the beginning of this year, the Civil Aviation Administration of China has paid much attention to improving services to help passengers cancel trips or change their tickets.

The China State Railway Group also announced on Aug 3 that it will help passengers who have booked train tickets online or offline before 12 pm on Aug 3 to get full refunds.

The railway authority also urged passengers to keep abreast of the latest epidemic control and prevention measures in their own locations and travel destinations, and take strict personal protective measures during their travels.