China International Airlines, China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, and Xiamen Airlines Suspend Flight Operations
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Sun-mi] The operation of 44 flights by Chinese airlines traveling from the United States to China has been suspended.
On the 21st (local time), according to U.S. media, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced that it has imposed a suspension on 44 flights operated by four airlines including Air China, China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, and Xiamen Airlines to China. The suspension period is from the 30th of this month to March 29.
This measure is interpreted as a retaliatory action following China’s earlier ban on 44 U.S. carrier flights, including United Airlines, American Airlines, and Delta Air Lines, citing positive COVID-19 cases among some passengers.
The U.S. Department of Transportation pointed out that China’s mass ban on U.S. airline flights was a unilateral measure, and explained that the U.S. is prepared to reconsider this suspension if China changes its stance and improves the situation for U.S. airlines.
China strongly opposed the U.S. measure. Liu Fengwei, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the U.S., urged, "The U.S. action is very unreasonable," and called for "the cessation of measures that restrict and interfere with the normal passenger transport of Chinese airlines."
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