Regulators in China and the United States are easing
restrictions on air travel between the two countries after a standoff earlier
this week.
The U.S. Department of Transportation on Friday said it was
granting Chinese carriers the right to operate two weekly flights to the United
States. Earlier this week, U.S. DOT issued an order suspending all flights by
Chinese carriers to the U.S. effective June 16, as Chinese government
restrictions were preventing both Delta Air Lines and United Airlines from
restarting service between the two countries even as Chinese carriers were
conducting limited service between them. On Thursday, China eased restrictions
to enable both carriers to operate one weekly roundtrip flight each.
The U.S. DOT will amend the order to allow more weekly
flights if China does the same, according to the order. The Civil Aviation
Authority of China currently is permitting Chinese carriers to fly as many as
four weekly flights to the United States, according to the DOT.