U.S. Boosts Chinese Airlines’ Weekly Flights: A Step Towards Normalization

The U.S. Transportation Department recently announced that Chinese passenger airlines will be allowed to increase their weekly round-trip flights to the U.S. to 50, up from the current 35. This change, set to take effect on March 31, is a significant step towards returning the market to about one-third of its pre-pandemic levels.

Before the restrictions were imposed in early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 150 weekly round-trip passenger flights were allowed by each side. However, until August 2023, Chinese and U.S. carriers could each fly only 12 a week between the two countries. The number of flights gradually increased, with 18 weekly round-trips allowed from September 1, 24 per week starting October 29, and 35 for Chinese carriers approved in November.

This approval by the U.S. Transportation Department is seen as a significant step forward in the further normalization of the U.S.-China market, especially in anticipation of the Summer 2024 traffic season. The decision is also in response to China's announcement in late December that it would lift certain restrictions on international passenger flights. This move allowed American Airlines to add two weekly flights in March between Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and Shanghai, raising the combined total of round trips between the countries by U.S. carriers to 12 per week.

The U.S. Transportation Department stated that it is engaged in a productive dialogue with China’s aviation regulator toward the “implementation of a roadmap to provide for a gradual, broader reopening of the U.S.-China air services market and a phased and predictable return to the capacity entitlements” specified under a U.S.-China agreement. In conclusion, the decision to allow Chinese airlines to boost their weekly round-trip U.S. flights to 50 is a significant development in the aviation industry. It not only marks a step towards the normalization of the U.S.-China market but also reflects the ongoing efforts to revive the industry in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.