United Airlines 'cautiously optimistic' on U.S.-China flight talks
United Airlines is "cautiously optimistic" about the outcome of U.S.-China negotiations on increasing the frequency of direct flights between the two countries. Walter Dias, sales director for greater China, Korea and Southeast Asia at United, told Nikkei Asia on Tuesday that the airline would like to add more flights to the four every week connecting Shanghai Pudong and San Francisco -- the only direct passenger route between the US and mainland China. But he said that would depend on talks between the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Civil Aviation Agency of China aimed at easing restrictions on flights that were imposed because of the COVID-19 pandemic and as Washington-Beijing tensions escalated. "We cannot add any flights until the two governments come to an agreement on our frequency," Dias said, adding it was "hard to predict" what would happen. "We're just cautiously optimistic that they will kind of have some additional agreement, but we'll just have to watch and monitor what happens there." Aviation services are universally governed by mutual agreements. The one between Washington and Beijing is rigid compared with "open skies" arrangements that grant foreign carriers more freedom in deciding where and when to fly. Chicago-based United was the first U.S. carrier to resume direct flights between the US and China at the end of January as COVID restrictions in China were gradually lifted. Delta Air Lines restarted their Sino-American flights last week, while American Airlines ones are scheduled to begin at the end of the month. Meanwhile, United resumed its direct passenger flights between Hong Kong and San Francisco on Monday, after a three-year hiatus. The aviation agreement between the U.S. and Hong Kong is governed under a separate aviation agreement, not connected to the one with China. Dias called the resumption of the first direct flight from Hong Kong to the continental U.S. a "big milestone for rebuilding Asia-Pacific routes." He said a second daily flight could be added as demand recovers.<br/>
https://portal.staralliance.com/cms/news/hot-topics/2023-03-08/star/united-airlines-cautiously-optimistic-on-u-s-china-flight-talks
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United Airlines 'cautiously optimistic' on U.S.-China flight talks
United Airlines is "cautiously optimistic" about the outcome of U.S.-China negotiations on increasing the frequency of direct flights between the two countries. Walter Dias, sales director for greater China, Korea and Southeast Asia at United, told Nikkei Asia on Tuesday that the airline would like to add more flights to the four every week connecting Shanghai Pudong and San Francisco -- the only direct passenger route between the US and mainland China. But he said that would depend on talks between the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Civil Aviation Agency of China aimed at easing restrictions on flights that were imposed because of the COVID-19 pandemic and as Washington-Beijing tensions escalated. "We cannot add any flights until the two governments come to an agreement on our frequency," Dias said, adding it was "hard to predict" what would happen. "We're just cautiously optimistic that they will kind of have some additional agreement, but we'll just have to watch and monitor what happens there." Aviation services are universally governed by mutual agreements. The one between Washington and Beijing is rigid compared with "open skies" arrangements that grant foreign carriers more freedom in deciding where and when to fly. Chicago-based United was the first U.S. carrier to resume direct flights between the US and China at the end of January as COVID restrictions in China were gradually lifted. Delta Air Lines restarted their Sino-American flights last week, while American Airlines ones are scheduled to begin at the end of the month. Meanwhile, United resumed its direct passenger flights between Hong Kong and San Francisco on Monday, after a three-year hiatus. The aviation agreement between the U.S. and Hong Kong is governed under a separate aviation agreement, not connected to the one with China. Dias called the resumption of the first direct flight from Hong Kong to the continental U.S. a "big milestone for rebuilding Asia-Pacific routes." He said a second daily flight could be added as demand recovers.<br/>
