WASHINGTON: The Trump administration on Thursday (Oct 9) proposed banning Chinese airlines from flying over Russia on flights to and from the United States, saying the practice puts American carriers at a disadvantage.
US airlines have long criticised the decision to allow Chinese carriers to use Russian airspace on some flights because it gives them the advantage of decreased flying time and burns less fuel, lowering costs.
The US Transportation Department said on Thursday in its proposed order, “this imbalance has become a significant competitive factor”.
The Transportation Department said it was proposing to bar Chinese overflights “to level this competitive disparity amongst US and Chinese air carriers”, saying the current situation was “unfair and has resulted in substantial adverse competitive effects on US air carriers”.
The Chinese embassy in Washington and Airlines for America, a major trade group representing carriers American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines that all fly to China, did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
Russia has barred US airlines and many other foreign carriers from flying over its airspace in retaliation for Washington’s banning Russian flights over the US in March 2022 after the country invaded Ukraine.
The decision could impact some US flights operated by Air China, China Eastern, Xiamen Airlines and China Southern.
The push comes amid growing tension between China and the United States over a series of economic issues.
Boeing is in talks to sell as many as 500 jets to China, which would represent a major breakthrough for the company in the world’s second-largest aviation market, where orders have stalled amid US-China trade tensions.
US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping are expected to hold a face-to-face meeting in South Korea at the end of October.
Source: CNA
