China blocks multiple flights from the US as safety measure against COVID-19

Image for representation

China blocks more than a dozen flights from various US airlines and wishes to stick with it in the future as well. As per sources, China takes this travel restriction as a safety measure to prevent any further spread of COVID-19 in the country.

China ordered the cancellations after some passengers tested positive for COVID-19 on flights that arrived in China in late December, according to industry officials. American Airlines on Tuesday said that six of its flights from Dallas-Fort Worth to Shanghai in late January and early February have been cancelled.

United Airlines said it was forced to cancel six flights from San Francisco to Shanghai later this month. Delta Air Lines said it cancelled one flight last week and another this Friday to Shanghai. Meanwhile, Airlines for America, which represents the largest US passenger and cargo carriers, said it is discussing the matter with the US and Chinese government officials to find ways to minimize the impact on travellers.

The Biden administration had no immediate comment. The blocking of flights is the latest development in a dispute between the two countries over international flights and rules designed to prevent the spread of the COVID-19.

China has been ratcheting up travel restrictions after recent outbreaks of COVID-19 as it prepares to host the Winter Olympics in early February. China limits capacity on inbound flights currently to 75% and requires passengers to be tested before departure and after arriving in the country.

If any passenger tests positive, the airline that carried them can be forced to cancel two to four flights, depending on the number of positive cases. Last month, Delta Air Lines said new requirements for cleaning planes between flights caused a plane bound for Shanghai to return to Seattle. The airline further added the new rules extended the time planes would need to sit on the ground in Shanghai, and weren't workable.

The Chinese consulate in San Francisco protested Delta's decision. In 2020, the Trump administration backed down from a threat to block four Chinese airlines after China agreed to let United and Delta resume limited operations that were shuttered earlier in the pandemic.

In August 2021, the US Transportation Department limited the number of passengers on four Chinese airlines' flights to the US after China imposed similar limits on United Airlines. The US said China was putting an unreasonable burden on US airlines for travellers who test positive after arriving in China.