Air China is one of the airlines affected by the order.
Bernd Wüstneck/Getty Images
The Trump administration will bar Chinese carriers from flying to the US from June 16, the Department of Transportation said Wednesday. The government is trying to push China to let American carriers resume flights, which were suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The order argues that the Chinese government “impaired the operating rights of US carriers” by failing to comply with an agreement on flights between the two countries. The order applies to Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Sichuan Airlines and Xiamen Airlines, Reuters noted.
In March, the Chinese government said the country’s airlines could fly a single passenger flight each week to any country, a limitation meant to curb the coronavirus’ spread.
On Wednesday, United, one of the US carriers that’s been unable to resume service to China, said it looks forward to “resuming passenger service between the United States and China when the regulatory environment allows us to do so.”
A spokeswoman for Delta, which has also been impacted, said the airline supports and appreciates “the US government’s actions to enforce our rights and ensure fairness.”