Hainan Airlines Holding cancels group transfer of 9 aircraft

Almost two-thirds of domestic flights from and to Beijing Capital and Beijing Daxing Int'l were cancelled on June 17, 2020, after Chinese authorities reimposed stricter travel restrictions due to a resurgence in COVID-19 cases.

The South China Morning Post said that a total of 1,255 mostly domestic flights in- or outbound to the capital airports were cancelled on the day. The local authorities raised health emergency restrictions from Level III to Level II in the evening of June 16.

Under current rules, residents of high-risk neighbourhoods are prohibited from leaving the city, while the general population is also discouraged from travelling outside Beijing. Every outbound passenger requires a current COVID test prior to boarding. While the roads remain open and inter-regional trains continue operating, passengers are encouraged to cancel their tickets. Long-haul buses and ride-hailing services have been suspended.

According to the ch-aviation capacities module, Air China (CA, Beijing Capital) is currently the largest operator in the Chinese capital with 319,327 weekly departure seats out Beijing Capital (49.2% of the airport's total...

The United States Government has walked back its threat to ban all incoming flights by Chinese carriers after China eased its own limits on US operators, but it will still heavily restrict services.

No more than 2x weekly frequencies for passenger flights operated by Chinese carriers will be allowed, the US Department of Transportation (DOT) said in its order dated June 5.

The move alters the outright ban imposed two days earlier, effective from June 16, which - as previously reported - was in protest against coronavirus-related restrictions Beijing had imposed on international flights.

That ban prompted the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) on June 4 to ease its rules on international flights, allowing foreign carriers to reinstate 1x weekly flights into China initially. Frequencies may be increased if no passengers test positive for Covid-19 for three consecutive weeks.

Washington’s decision on June 5, which is effective immediately, halves the 4x weekly flights it currently allows for Chinese carriers. In the order, the DOT complained that Beijing’s changes had not gone far enough and still...