Commercial airline flights between the United States and China are expected to continue after both countries agreed to a compromise solution that averted as U.S. ban on flights to and from China.
On Friday, China retracted its previous decision not to allow Delta Air Lines and United Airlines to resume their flights to China this month after the United States retaliated against Chinese airlines. The U.S. federal government on June 3 announced a ban on Chinese passenger airlines flying to the U.S. starting June 16 due to China's decision.
The U.S. order reversing the ban was made by the Department of Transportation (DOT). If implemented, the ban would have affected Air China, Ltd, China Eastern Airlines Corporation Ltd, China Southern Airlines Company, Ltd and XiamenAir. The ban, however, wouldn't have affected flights to and from Hong Kong.
The new DOT order limits each of these four Chinese carriers to two weekly flights to the U.S. On the other hand, Delta and United will be allowed one flight each to China. DOT said its order should restore a competitive balance "and fair and equal opportunity among U.S. and Chinese air carriers in the scheduled passenger service marketplace."
DOT said its overriding goal isn't perpetuating limited air travel between the U.S. and China. Instead, it wants to create an improved environment where carriers of both countries will be able to exercise their bilateral rights fully.
DOT said should the Civil Aviation Administration of China adjust its policies to bring about the necessary improved situation for U.S. carriers, it's fully prepared to reconsider the action announced in its order.
Delta and United have been pressing the U.S. government to convince China to allow them to resume U.S. to China flights, which were suspended to avoid spreading the COVID-19 coronavirus.
Delta said it supports and appreciates the U.S. government's actions. For its part, United said it looks forward to resuming passenger service between the U.S. and China when the regulatory environment allows it to do so.
On January 31, Delta and American announced a suspension of all flights between the U.S. and China to control the spread of the coronavirus. This decision made them the first U.S. airline firms to do so.
At the time, United announced it will suspend flights to Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu but continue flights to Hong Kong. American said it will stop flying to China from January 31 to March 27. Delta waited until February 6 to suspend its China flights.
Once a week flights to China for either Delta or American, however, won't prove sustainable in the long-run, said aviation industry analysts.
