American Department of Transportation: US Plans to Prohibit Chinese Airlines from Flying Over Russian Airspace on Flights to and from the US

The Trump administration in the United States is planning to prohibit Chinese airlines from flying over Russian airspace on flights to and from the US, citing that this practice puts American airlines at a disadvantage in competition. The US Department of Transportation (DOT) stated that this measure aims to "balance this unfair competition."

The US Department of Transportation pointed out that Chinese airlines have benefited from shorter flight times and lower fuel costs by continuing to use Russian routes, while American airlines are prohibited from using these routes.

Since 2022, Washington has banned Russian aircraft from entering US airspace, and Moscow has taken retaliatory measures, prohibiting US and other Western airlines from flying over Russian airspace. This move has forced American airlines to take longer, more expensive Asian routes, while Chinese airlines are still allowed to use Russian airspace, avoiding these restrictions. The US Department of Transportation said that this "imbalance" has caused a "substantial negative competitive impact" on American airlines.

If this proposal is finally implemented, it may affect some Chinese airlines operating flights between China and the US, including Air China, China Eastern Airlines, Xiamen Airlines, and China Southern Airlines.

The US Department of Transportation said that the proposed order could come into effect as early as November, and has given Chinese airlines two days to respond to the proposal. The Chinese Embassy in Washington and the "Airlines for America" representing major US airlines have not immediately commented on this proposal.

In May 2023, US regulators approved the request of Chinese airlines to increase flights, but with the condition that these flights should not fly over Russian airspace. Before the pandemic, there were more than 150 round-trip flights per week between China and the US, but the current regulations limit the number of flights operated by Chinese airlines to 50 per week. US airlines have stated that if they cannot fly over Russian airspace, direct flights from the US East Coast to China are economically unsustainable. Several US airlines have reported to the Trump administration that the economic viability of direct flights from the US East Coast to China has significantly declined due to the inability to fly over Russian airspace.

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1845571466121610/

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