The U.S. Department of Transportation recently proposed banning Chinese airlines from flying over Russian airspace on flights between China and the United States. The measure is aimed at preventing Chinese carriers, which can currently use Russian airspace, from gaining a competitive advantage over U.S. airlines that are restricted from the route. The proposal has drawn strong opposition from multiple Chinese carriers, who argue it would harm passengers and destabilize the China-U.S. aviation market.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the U.S. has prohibited Russian flights from entering American airspace. Russia retaliated by banning U.S. and several Western airlines from flying over its territory. Chinese airlines were not affected and have thus maintained shorter flight routes, gaining certain market advantages on Asia-Europe and trans-Pacific routes.
On Tuesday, seven major Chinese carriers issued a joint statement urging the U.S. government to withdraw the proposed ban. The statement warned that if implemented, China-U.S. flights would be extended by two to three hours, increasing fuel consumption and operational costs, which would drive up ticket prices and raise the risk of transfer delays. China Eastern Airlines estimated that during the Christmas holiday peak, roughly 2,800 passengers would need to rebook.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said that U.S. restrictions on Chinese carriers are “detrimental to people-to-people exchanges and economic and trade interactions” and urged Washington to stop “politicizing civil aviation cooperation.”
Meanwhile, United Airlines has called on U.S. authorities to extend the ban to Cathay Pacific and other Hong Kong carriers.
The U.S. Department of Transportation has yet to announce a final decision, with analysts predicting the issue could become a new flashpoint in China-U.S. aviation and diplomatic relations.