Civil Aviation

USDOT Greenlights 50 Weekly Flights for Chinese Airlines to U.S.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced on Monday that it will allow Chinese passenger airlines to increase their weekly round-trip flights to the United States from 35 to 50, effective March 31 reports from Reuters. This decision is a step towards post-pandemic recovery and increased bilateral connectivity. With this ruling, the market for air travel between the two countries is essentially back to almost one-third of of its pre-pandemic capacity.

The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) emphasized the importance of this approval and its role in consolidating the U.S.-China air travel market, especially ahead of the upcoming summer traffic season of 2024. There has been a steady increase in the number of weekly round-trip flying licenses, with the number rising from 18 on September 1 to 24 starting on October 29 and finally to 35 after clearance in November.

Representing American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines among other major U.S. carriers, Airlines for America expressed support for the cautious and reciprocal approach taken by the U.S. government in reopening the air travel market with China. These carriers emphasized the significance of sticking to a steady and measured approach, since they presently offer 31 weekly flights to China.

The Chinese embassy in Washington expressed satisfaction with the progress, stating its gladness at the positive steps taken to increase direct passenger flights between the two countries. Additionally, the embassy emphasized its commitment to facilitating cross-border travel and fostering people-to-people exchanges.

In order to put into action a roadmap for a more comprehensive reopening of the U.S.-China air services market, the USDOT revealed its continuous positive interaction with China’s aviation authority. The goal of this roadmap is to enable a gradual and predictable restoration to the capacity entitlements specified in the agreement between the United States and China.

Ultimately, the USDOT’s decision to allow Chinese airlines to run 50 weekly flights to the US represents a critical turning point in the international aviation industry’s recovery and emphasizes the need for cooperation and a gradual return to normalcy in the wake of the pandemic.