The United States plans to ban Chinese airlines from operating flights to and from US airports, the Department of Transportation (DOT) announced on Wednesday.
The order is effective starting June 16th and applies to all commercial passenger airlines of the People’s Republic of China (mainland China). It may be implemented earlier ‘upon affirmative approval’ by President Trump.
This action comes after China did not allow US-based passenger airlines to restart their full China schedules following a temporary halt amid the Coronavirus crisis. In a publication from May 22nd, the DOT had criticised “how the Chinese aviation authorities have failed to permit U.S. air carriers to exercise fully their bilateral rights“.
Two of the major American carriers, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, had intended to resume regular flights to mainland China in June. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) did not approve the two airlines’ proposals that were submitted in early-May, according to the DOT.
Jakob Wert is an aviation journalist from Germany. He built up the website IFN.news and is the Editor-In-Chief of International Flight Network.
