China to Ease Flight Restrictions on Foreign Airlines' China Routes Starting from the 8th

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Park Sun-mi] China is easing restrictions on international flights that were implemented to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). Foreign airlines that are currently unable to operate routes to China will be allowed to fly to their desired Chinese cities once a week.

On the 4th, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) announced on its website that it would adjust its international flight policies. Foreign airlines currently banned from operating routes to China will be permitted to fly to a chosen Chinese city once a week starting from the 8th. Additionally, for all airlines operating routes to China, if no passengers test positive for COVID-19 for three consecutive weeks, the number of flights to China can be increased from once a week to twice a week.

On the other hand, if five or more passengers test positive for COVID-19, the airline’s flights to China will be banned for one week. If ten or more passengers test positive, the airline’s routes will be suspended for four weeks, thereby strengthening penalties.

This announcement from the CAAC came immediately after the U.S. Department of Transportation stated on the 3rd (local time) that it would ban flights operated by Chinese airlines to the United States starting from the 16th. The U.S. claimed that China was the first to close the air routes and warned that if the CAAC does not lift the ban on U.S. airlines operating routes to China, four Chinese airlines?Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, and Hainan Airlines?will also be barred from flying to the U.S.

At the end of March, when the global spread of COVID-19 was severe, Chinese aviation authorities allowed airlines to operate international flights once a week, to one city, and only one flight. However, U.S. airlines had already voluntarily suspended flights to China due to the COVID-19 situation before the CAAC announced this policy, so they were not subject to the once-a-week, one-city, one-flight rule, effectively halting operations on China routes.