US limits Chinese passenger air carriers in tit-for-tat politics
The United States (US) Department of Transportation (DOT) announced that it will restrict passenger loads on Chinese airlines flying to the US after Beijing imposed similar limits on four United Airlines flights.
According to the details, the US DOT on August 18, 2021 (Wednesday) imposed a 40% capacity limit on US-bound Chinese flights of Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, and Xiamen Airlines for four weeks starting August 23, 2021.
China imposed sanctions on United Airlines earlier this month on August 6, 2021, after five passengers on a United Airlines flight on July 21, 2021, from San Francisco, California (CA) to Shanghai Pudong tested positive for COVID-19 on arrival. Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) informed United Airlines of the same on August 6, 2021.
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Following the discovery of positive coronavirus cases on the United Airlines flight, the CAAC offered the carrier three penalty options:
- suspension of flights between the two cities;
- operate two flights without passengers;
- or operate four inbound flights with a 40% capacity limit.
United Airlines chose the 40% capacity limit option. In an August 18, 2021, modification of an order issued on June 1, 2020, Washington has “repeatedly raised its objections” with Beijing about the nature of the restrictions, which they called “unilaterally-imposed”.
The department added carriers “have no means to independently verify positive test results alleged by Chinese authorities. Furthermore, there is no way to establish where or when a traveler may have contracted COVID-19”.
As carriers are following all relevant Chinese regulations with respect to pre-departure and in-flight protocols, they should not be penalised as a result of travelers later testing positive,” the DOT states.
The flights affected are as follows:
- Air China: Beijing to LA Int’l (CA-987) between August 23 and 29, 2021;
- China Eastern: Shanghai Pudong to JFK (MU-587) between August 30 and September 5, 2021;
- China Southern: Guangzhou to LA Int’l (CZ-327) between September 6 and12, 2021; and
- Xiamen Airlines: Xiamen to LA Int’l (MF-829) between September 13 and 19, 2021.
United Airlines said it was “pleased to see this action (by the DOT) in pursuit of fairness in this important market.”
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