US approves two Air China flights to take Chinese citizens home

Hundreds of students and other Chinese citizens stranded in America because of the Covid-19 pandemic will soon be heading home after US authorities gave the green light for two Air China flights to take off in the coming days. The Chinese embassy in Washington said Saturday that a flight from the US capital to Shenzhen had been approved for Thursday afternoon, while a second, from Houston to Tianjin on Sunday afternoon, has also been given the go-ahead by the US transport department, according to the Chinese consulate in the Texan city. Both notices reiterated an earlier warning to passengers from the Chinese mission in Washington that they may be subjected to questioning by border officials on departure, including having their phones, computers and other electronics examined. The flight approvals came after the US transport department said earlier it would begin requiring Chinese airlines to file proposed flight schedules at least 30 days in advance, in response to Beijing not yet approving US carriers’ applications to resume their services to China amid the global health crisis.<br/>