NOW is possibly the cheapest month to fly out of the city because airlines and ticket agents are competing by lowering fares to woo customers.

The most attractive price is for a trip from Shenzhen to Chongqing or Haikou, which only costs 60 yuan (US$8.8) offered by Cococ, a provider of travel-related products.

Flights to the two cities normally cost 1,280 yuan and 700 yuan, respectively.

"The last two months before Christmas are low seasons for us," said Qiao Hai, Cococ's manager. "But this year was worse than ever, battered by the global financial crisis."

Qiao said each day only 10 customers are lucky enought to snag the cheap flights, and the company loses money on them, a sacrifice for self-promotion.

His company's business volume has fallen by 10 percent compared with last year.

Ctrip and Etpass, competitors of Cococ, are also offering discounts as low as 75 percent on air tickets for domestic and overseas flights.

A round-trip ticket for a flight between Shenzhen and Seoul is available for 2,400 yuan, 600 yuan lower than usual.

British Airways, China Eastern Airlines, Lufthansa and Finnair have also slashed prices.

An economy seat on a flight from Shanghai or Beijing to Europe costs 3,380 yuan with no surcharge, and flights from Shanghai to western cities in the United States are as low as 3,000 yuan.

(Mu Zi)