China Eastern ends A340-600 revenue operations

Nanjing Lukou, China reopens after pandemic shutdown

Italy's AlisCargo launches operations

AlisCargo (CP) operated its first revenue flight on August 18, 2021, connecting Milan Malpensa with Jinan in north-eastern China.

EI-GWA (msn 30871), one of the carrier's two B777-200(ER) makeshift freighters, was delivered in July 2021 but has since remained in Lombardy, operating a mix of test and proving flights. Sistership EI-GWB (msn 30872) began commercial operations on August 21, also on the Jinan route, Flightradar24 ADS-B data shows.

AlisCargo recently partnered with China Eastern Airlines (MU, Shanghai Hongqiao) to operate all-cargo one-way services from Jinan to Malpensa on behalf of the Chinese carrier. Capacity for flights from Italy to China will be marketed independently by AlisCargo.

Both AlisCargo's B777s are dry-leased from Boeing Aircraft Holding, the ch-aviation fleets ownership module shows.

Meanwhile, the airline has undergone a change in leadership following the recent passing of Chief Executive Francesco Rebaudo. Rebaudo, who headed Cargolux Italia and Cargoitalia before AlisCargo, has been replaced by Giacomo Manzon, the former managing director of Cargoitalia and Air Dolomiti...

Shanghai Pudong closes cargo terminals due to COVID cluster

US penalises Chinese carriers in tit-for-tat politics

In tit-for-tat politics, the US Department of Transportation (DOT) is restricting passenger loads on a number of US-bound flights of Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, and Xiamen Airlines over the course of four weeks.

The move is in retaliation against a similar restriction on United Airlines imposed earlier this month by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

China’s action followed after five passengers on a United Airlines flight on July 21, 2021, from San Francisco, CA to Shanghai Pudong, tested positive for COVID-19 after arriving in that country. CAAC informed United Airlines of the same on August 6, 2021.

In terms of a “circuit breaker” policy that punishes airlines for carrying COVID-positive passengers, China gave United four options: to either cancel two flights on the route; operate two flights without passengers; or operate four inbound flights with a maximum passenger load factor of 40%. United chose the latter and was instructed to apply the capacity restriction to four Wednesday flights beginning August 11, 2021....