Beijing, United States Criticizes Flight Cancellation: China's Actions Are Not Consistent With Its Obligations

Illustration of United States airline United Airlines. (Wikimedia Commons/Raimond Spekking)

JAKARTA - The administration of President Joe Biden criticized China's decision to cancel flights from the United States (US) to China, because a passenger later tested positive for COVID-19, warning that response actions could be taken.

"China's actions are inconsistent with its obligations under the US-China Air Transport Agreement. We are engaged with (the Chinese Government) on this, and we reserve the right to take appropriate regulatory action", a spokesman for the US Department of Transportation said, citing Reuters on January 13.

China on Wednesday ordered the suspension of six US flights to China in the coming weeks, after a spike in passengers testing positive for COVID-19, increasing to 70 cancellations ordered since the start of this year in a schedule that has been drastically reduced.

The latest suspension affects two United Airlines flights from San Francisco to Shanghai, as well as four China Southern Airlines flights from Los Angeles to Guangzhou. The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately comment.

Separately, Airlines for America, a trade group representing United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, and others, said the US carrier was "in communication with the US and Chinese governments, to identify a path forward that minimizes the impact on travelers".

Beijing and Washington have been arguing about air service since the start of the pandemic. Before the latest cancellations, three US airlines and four Chinese airlines operated about 20 flights a week between countries, well below the figure of more than 100 per week before the pandemic.

In addition to Uncle Sam's country, China has also suspended flights with other countries, including on Wednesday a total of six flights from France and Canada.

The number of canceled US flights has surged since December, as infections caused by the Omicron variant surged to a record high in the United States.

To note, China has closed all its borders to international travelers, cutting total international flights to just 200 flights a week, or 2 percent of pre-pandemic levels, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said in September last year.