China Eastern Airlines says trade war may prompt route adjustments

China Eastern Airlines said a brewing trade war between China and the US could prompt it to adjust capacity and frequency on associated routes in the expectation that it may impact passenger travel and cargo. The carrier said it had set up a group to study the issue. The Trump administration Tuesday imposed 25% tariffs on some 1,300 Chinese products while China has put tariffs on US fruit and nuts. “We will make some adjustment to our fleet if passenger numbers fall on China-US routes, for example by switching the Boeing 777 to the Airbus 330-200. If the impact is more severe, we may make adjustments to airline frequency,” said CMO Dong Bo. The airline last week reported its highest annual profit in more than 20 years. <br/>