US Airlines Ask Biden Administration Not To Increase Additional Flights Towards China

Major United States airline companies and certain airline unions asked the Biden administration not to approve any more flights between the US and China, citing ongoing “anti-competitive policies of the Chinese government”. According to the Associated Press, the unions and airlines on Thursday said that China closed its market to US airlines during the pandemic outbreak and those rules still affect American operations and airlines crew. 

In a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, they said that the actions demonstrate the “clear need for the US government to establish a policy that protects US aviation workers, industry and air travellers”. It was signed by the CEO of the Airlines for America trade group and the presidents of the Air Line Pilots Association, the Allied Pilots Association, which represents crews at American Airlines, and the Association of Flight Attendants.

Chinese airlines were allowed to increase the number of round trips that can be made from 35 to 50 per week by the Biden administration, starting March 31. Airlines are worried that the Biden administration could boost or even double to 100 the number of weekly flights permitted by Chinese carriers, as per Reuters.

The US airlines said that Chinese airlines have the advantage of taking a shorter route by flying over Russia, however, since the invasion of Ukraine by Russia over two years ago that route cannot be taken by the US. Also, Chinese airlines are state-owned and this gives them certain protection from the government. 

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US airlines stated that without fair access to the Chinese aviation markets, American carriers would lose flights to Chinese airlines.

In a letter by US Representative Mike Gallagher, the chair of the House Select Committee on China, and the panel’s top Democrat, Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi also urged the Biden administration in a separate letter on Wednesday not to approve more flights until China abides by the bilateral agreement and passenger demand begins to recover, according to Reuters.

The lawmakers said that the Chinese airlines operate without a fair competitive advantage that shouldn’t be allowed to grow unless “without reciprocal parity in the number of U.S. carrier operated routes” to China. The letter further added that American passengers must not be exposed to “unnecessary security risks” by travelling over Russian airspace.