US and China to Allow 4 Weekly Flights for Airlines

The United States and China have agreed to allow four weekly flights between the two countries. The U.S. Transportation Department made the announcement on Monday.

Since March, Chinese government policy had blocked U.S. air carriers from resuming passenger service between the United States and China, while Chinese air carriers continued to fly between the two countries. The United States responded with an order, effective June 16th, that would limit Chinese air carriers to the total number of flights U.S. air carriers were allowed to fly.

The U.S. Department of Transportation was notified Monday that U.S. carriers have been approved to fly 4 weekly flights to China. In response, “the Department amended its order to allow the Chinese air carriers to continue to fly 4 weekly flights between China and the United States,” the press release says.

The Department added that it will continue to press for the full restoration of passenger air travel between the United States and China. “As the Chinese government allows more flights by U.S. carriers, we will reciprocate,” it said.

The United States had threatened to block Chinese passenger flights on June 16 due to Beijing’s ban on U.S. airlines. With the news that China would allow four U.S. flights total, Delta said it start operating two flights to Shanghai from Seattle next week and once weekly flights from Seattle and Detroit beginning in July, all via Seoul, Reuters reports.