Category: Covid-19

The US-China feud over airline service due to COVID-related protocols continues. In the latest move, the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) is forcing the cancellation of 44 flights operated by Chinese airlines after China’s civil aviation regulatory body forced US carriers to cancel 44 flights over COVID-related issues.

DOT forces cancellation of 44 flights

The DOT has announced the cancellation of the following services:

• Air China flights to Shenzhen (SZX) [flight CA770] departing Los Angeles (LAX) on March 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29
• Air China flights to Tianjin (TSN) [flight CA988] departing LAX on March 6, 13, 20, and 27
• China Eastern Airlines flights to Shanghai (PVG) [flight MU588] from New York (JFK) on February 2, 7, 9, 14, 16, 21, 23, 28 and March 2, 7, 9, 14, 16, 21, 23, and 28
• China Southern Airlines flights to Guangzhou (CAN) [flight CZ328] departing LAX on March 4, 11, 18, 20, 25, and 27
• Xiamen Airlines flights to Xiamen (XMN) [flight MF830] departing LAX on January 30, February 6, 13, 20, 27, March 2, 6, 9, 13, 16, 20, 23, and 27

The suspension does not officially bar flights. Instead, in reciprocity over China’s actions regarding US carrier operations to the US, the DOT will allow these flights to operate as cargo-only segments. The suspension applies to the passenger-carrying component.

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In response to actions from China

The DOT has issued this as a result of the way the Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC) has treated American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines. The CAAC has set up a “circuit-breaker” policy that allows it to impose restrictions on operations if five to nine passengers from any single inbound flight test positive for COVID after arriving in China. Those options include:

1. Suspending the flight for two weeks starting four weeks after the circuit breaker event
2. Impose a four-week passenger load factor limit of no higher than 40% starting four weeks after the circuit breaker event

However, the DOT has alleged that the CAAC has not been forthcoming on the way restrictions are applied. The DOT alleges that US carriers were denied the option to reduce load factors and were instead forced to cancel flights without giving the four-week advance notice period. The US Government has also expressed its concerns with China, stating that, under current restrictions, the Chinese government is responsible for individually clearing each and every potential traveler for travel to China, and US airlines follow all Chinese regulations with respect to pre-departure test results and document verification. US-China feud

An ongoing feud

The United States and China do not have an Open Skies Agreement, nor have they made many public moves toward signing one. As a result, airlines have to petition governments for approval to operate flights, and, in many cases, it requires a significant amount of time investment and some uncertainty over whether or not services will be able to launch.

However, more recently, COVID has forced a different approach. China has taken a strict zero-COVID approach, which has certainly taken its toll on the aviation sector. In June of last year, as Delta and United were looking to resume flights to China, the DOT got involved after allegations of China repeatedly blocking those airlines from returning service, while Chinese carriers had more freedom to operate flights to the United States. The DOT limited permissions from Chinese carriers to fly to the US. Since then, as China relaxed some of its rules, the US did so. However, the more recent changes have caused the DOT to reverse some course.

The latest push from the DOT comes as China is gearing up for the Winter Olympics in just a few weeks in Beijing. While it is normally a bigger occasion, this year, China will be hosting the events in a very muted form, and the traditional rush of foreign tourists to China will certainly not appear. US-China feud

Nevertheless, long-term, the goal is to open up China for international travel from 2023, if not later. The country has shown little regard for abandoning its approach, and, as a result, its strict moves are forcing the DOT to respond in kind. Time will tell how long this feud continues.