US airlines ask the Biden administration not to approve additional flights between the US and China

WASHINGTON – Large U.S. airlines and a few of their unions are asking the Biden administration to forestall approving any longer flights between the United States and China as a result of what they name “anti-competitive” insurance policies that China imposes on U.S. carriers.

The airlines and unions mentioned Thursday that China closed its marketplace to U.S. carriers at the outbreak of the pandemic and imposed laws that also impact American operations and airline crews.

“These actions demonstrated the clear need for the U.S. government to establish a policy that protects U.S. aviation workers, industry and air travelers,” they mentioned in a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

The letter used to be signed through the CEO of the Airlines for America business team and the presidents of the Air Line Pilots Association, the Allied Pilots Association, which represents crews at American Airlines, and the Association of Flight Attendants.

The collection of flights between China and the U.S. has been emerging, despite the fact that it stays a ways underneath pre-pandemic ranges. The Biden administration higher the collection of spherical journeys that Chinese airlines could make from 35 to 50 a week, beginning March 31, after China’s aviation authority promised to search an build up in flights through U.S. carriers.

The U.S. airlines mentioned Chinese airlines get a bonus through flying shorter routes thru Russian airspace, which has been off-limits to U.S. carriers since Russia invaded Ukraine greater than two years in the past. They mentioned Chinese airlines additionally get “certain protections” from China’s executive as a result of they’re state-owned.

The U.S. business teams mentioned of their letter that the ultimate get admission to to China’s aviation marketplace, American carriers will lose flights to Chinese airlines.