Big three US airlines again delay resumption of further China flights

The three largest US airlines are pushing back until at least late October the resumption of many flights to China that they cut early during the Covid-19 pandemic. American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines received authority from the US Department of Transportation (DOT) to delay by another 90 days the resumption of nearly 100 weekly flights to China, according to regulatory documents released on 5 March. The US carriers hold DOT-issued approvals to fly specific routes to China, doing so under requirements laid out in the USA’s air transport treaty with China. The DOT can take back those approvals if carriers fail to operate the flights. Throughout the pandemic, the agency issued waivers in 90-day chunks permitting the US carriers to keep the flights grounded without the risk of losing the flight permissions. The DOT issued fresh waivers, which run through 26 October, in February. The US airlines had urged the DOT to act, saying demand for flights to China remains depressed. All three carriers still fly to China, but at much-reduced levels compared to before the pandemic. <br/>