Airlines for America, the trade group representing major U.S. carriers including Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE: DAL), United Airlines Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: UAL), and American Airlines Group Inc. (NASDAQ: AAL), has urged the Trump administration to reject requests for additional China-U.S. flights. The group argues that expanding air links would create a competitive disadvantage for American carriers.
The opposition stems from airspace restrictions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The U.S. barred Russian aircraft from its skies, and Russia responded by blocking U.S. airlines from transiting its airspace. Consequently, U.S. carriers are forced to route around Russia, incurring significant additional costs. The trade group’s chief, Chris Sununu, stated that these extra expenses create an imbalance, noting that Chinese carriers can still utilize the shorter path through Russian airspace on a limited number of routes.
Current bilateral agreements allow each country’s airlines to operate approximately 50 weekly round-trip flights. This figure represents a reduction from the pre-pandemic limit of more than 150 flights per week. The dispute highlights the tension between U.S. airline concerns regarding operational costs and competitive parity, and Chinese President Xi Jinping’s suggestion during a Washington, D.C., event on Thursday to increase direct flights to facilitate two-way travel and trade.
