Daily Times

China has said it will allow currently blocked foreign airlines to operate in the country due to coronavirus problems to resume limited flights, lifting a de facto ban on US carriers.

The latest spat was rooted in the Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC) deciding to impose a limit on foreign airlines based on their activity as of March 12. Because US carriers had suspended all flights by that date their cap was set at zero, while Chinese carriers’ flights to the US continued.

That friction culminated with the U.S. proposing to ban Chinese passenger airlines under a notice formally sent to China Wednesday evening local time. China the next morning announced the loosened restrictions.

All airlines from June 8 can operate one weekly flight to China with provisions to increase service to two weekly flights, Chinese aviation regulator CAAC said. But Delta Air Lines and United Airlines want to fly multiple daily flights from the U.S. to China.

China should allow U.S. airlines to exercise the “full extent of their bilateral rights,” said Joel Szabat, an Assistant Secretary at the Department of Transportation.