The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) has confirmed that it will allow a number of increased direct flights between China and the U.S. This will see weekly round trip flight number increase to 18 (from 12) on September 1, 2023, and this number rise to 24 on October 19. Carrier covered by this new order will include Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Xiamen Airlines and Hainan Airlines.
In a statement the USDOT said that: “Our overriding goal is an improved environment wherein the carriers of both parties are able to exercise fully their bilateral rights to maintain a competitive balance and fair and equal opportunity among U.S. and Chinese air carriers.”
Flights between the two countries had been severely curtailed since June 2020, when the Chinese government “had, over the objections of the U.S. government, impaired the operating rights of U.S. carriers and denied U.S. air carriers the fair and equal opportunity to exercise their operating rights under the U.S.-China Civil Air Transport Agreement”, the USDOT stated.
Since that date and with the easing of coronavirus-restricted travel, the volume of flights between the two countries has increased incrementally, most recently to 12- weekly round trips for each of the country’s carriers, in May. Shortly after the USDOT’s decision to open U.S. airspace to more flights from China was published, United Airlines says it is expanding its schedule to that country, leading to the conclusion that the Chinese government will reciprocate for U.S. airlines.
“These enhancements to United’s Asia-Pacific schedule are enabled by agreement between the governments of the U.S. and China to increase flights between the two countries,” Chicago-based United said on August 11. The airline plans to recommence daily flights to Beijing from its West Coast hub of San Francisco beginning in November and will increase its flight frequency to Shanghai beginning on October 1.
“We are grateful for this positive step forward in U.S.-China passenger air services, and we thank the many officials from both countries who partnered to make this reinstatement of air service possible,” says Patrick Quayle, United’s Senior Vice-President of Global Network Planning and Alliances.
