United Airlines is expected to announce the resumption of passenger flights to China as the company rebounds after strong travel restrictions caused by pandemic prevention methods. The flights may only be between San Francisco and Shanghai Pudong.
According to Forbes, there has been an increasing demand for business travel between China and the US, especially among corporate customers. The flight reason for such flights was related to the re-establishment of supply chains between the countries. Economic indicators also showed that China's output has reached 70 percent, but its airlines would still be compelled to reduce its international flights temporarily.
Since January, US airlines have suspended flights to China despite Chinese airlines continuing as usual during that period. Air China flew seven to nine weekly trips to the US in late March, but the allowance was reduced by the government to one flight a week. Hence, there was a passenger spillover that United Airlines could cater to.
Chinese regulator CAAC also subjected temporary limits on international flights from foreign and local airlines after coronavirus cases increased among Chinese nationals that flew from the other jurisdictions and into China. Mainland Chinese airlines, on the other hand, were only permitted one weekly passenger flight to foreign locations and one per week for flights within China.
The report claimed that the one weekly limit would possibly be imposed on United Airlines reducing its allowed travel from a dozen per week in China. Nevertheless, the allowance showed that there would potentially be an earlier resumption of normal business travel than expected as demand for flights continues to increase. United Airlines was the largest provider that served China before the pandemic occurred.
The number of overall US-China flights, however, would continue to decrease in April as China airlines decreased their services. Chinese airlines were revealed to increase their flights by May, there has been no word from a United Airlines spokesperson to confirm the same.
United Airlines currently uses aircraft to fly cargo and has been paying for major expenses such as fuel, airport and overflight charges, and pilot compensation. It was then suggested that making the trip a passenger service could increase the incremental costs even if the flight's cabin does not reach its maximum capacity. The CAAC then restricted passenger flights to a 75 percent load capacity.
The report also clarified that although China currently bans foreign visitors, the imposition only covers those who were previously issues visas. Individuals may re-apply for a visa provided that their trips would be "for essential, economic, trade, scientific, or technological activities, or out of emergency humanitarian needs," announced China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The report also claimed that arrival quarantine measures in the country have been changing in recent weeks. Corporates have curtailed employee travel, but offer exceptions to those engaged in necessary trips.
