US Airlines Oppose China’s Bid to Add More Flights
Chris Sununu said U.S. carriers face higher costs because Chinese airlines can overfly Russia on eight flights, widening the competitive gap.
- On Thursday in Washington, Chinese President Jinping proposed increasing direct flights to facilitate travel and trade, but the industry group Airlines for America immediately opposed the idea, citing competitive disadvantages.
- Following the invasion of Ukraine, the United States banned Russian flights in 2022, prompting Russia to block carriers from its airspace; Chinese airlines retained overflight rights while American carriers were effectively barred.
- Current capacity stands at around 50 weekly round-trip flights per side, down from 320 pre-pandemic. Chris Sununu, representing American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines, said bypassing Russian airspace imposes a "huge cost."
- Last week, Airlines for America opposed Air China's request for more scheduled flights. Sununu stated, "They already have an advantage with the eight flights. To give them even more of an advantage would be huge."
- The Transportation Department previously shelved a proposal to ban Chinese overflights, leaving the industry hesitant to expand routes until access disparities are resolved and the competitive landscape shifts.
12 Articles
12 Articles
US airlines oppose China’s bid to add more flights
By David Shepardson WASHINGTON, Sept 24 (Reuters) - The head of industry group Airlines for America said on Thursday that US carriers oppose adding more direct flights from China to the United States even as Chinese President Xi Jinping raised the ide...
Airlines for America (A4A), which represents major airlines in the U.S., has opposed the increase in direct flights to the U.S. by Chinese airlines.
US Carriers Oppose Proposed Expansion of US-China Direct Flights
Major US airlines are lobbying the Trump administration to reject China’s proposal to add more direct flights between China and the US. Aviation trade group Airlines for America, which represents Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, United Airlines, and others, warned that US airlines could face a competitive disadvantage if the proposal is approved. US-China Flights [...]
The photo shows a Delta Air Lines plane parked at Washington Reagan International Airport on September 13, 2025. (Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times)
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