Major US airlines oppose Air China bid to schedule additional US flights
WASHINGTON: A group representing major US airlines said on Friday it opposes Air China’s bid to schedule additional flights from Beijing to New York and Washington as part of President Xi Jinping’s planned meeting with President Donald Trump. Airlines for America, which represents American Airlines , Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and others, opposed the request because US airlines are…
A coalition of prominent US airlines has expressed opposition to Air China's bid to schedule additional flights from Beijing to New York and Washington as part of a planned meeting between President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump, according to a Friday statement from Airlines for America. The group, which represents American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and others, argued against the request citing that US airlines are effectively barred from flying from the US east coast to China due to their inability to access Russian airspace, whereas Chinese carriers can for certain US flights.
The airlines suggested that permitting two additional weekly flights could potentially open the door for Chinese carriers to seek more regular flights, at which point they should be classified as charter flights rather than regular commercial services. The US Transportation Department had proposed a ban on Chinese airlines flying over Russia on routes to and from the US in October 2025, arguing that it would decrease flight times and fuel consumption for American carriers, giving them an unfair advantage.
However, this proposal faced opposition from other US agencies and was ultimately abandoned prior to trade discussions with China. Representatives from the USDOT and Air China were not immediately available for comment.
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