After significant cuts during the COVID-19 pandemic, the three largest airlines in the US have announced an expansion of their China services.
DALLAS - After significant cuts during the COVID-19 pandemic, the three largest airlines in the US have announced an expansion of their China services.
The move follows last week's announcement by the Biden administration that the US and China had agreed to allow twice the number of passenger flights permitted to fly between the two countries. This will now see 48 flights per week permitted, 24 for US carriers and 24 for Chinese airlines, an increase of six weekly roundtrips from October 29. Pre-pandemic, there were, on average, 340 flights per week.
According to Reuters, American Airlines (AA) has said that its current four weekly services from Dallas Fort-Worth (DFW) to Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) will increase to a daily flight from January.
Meanwhile, Delta Air Lines (DL) will increase its flights to PVG from Seattle (SEA) and Detroit (DTW) to ten per week. In a statement, DL said, "Beginning October 29, the airline will operate daily flights from SEA and three-times-weekly service from DTW." DL also plans to add four weekly Los Angeles (LAX)-PVG fights starting in March 2024.
United Airlines (UA) has said it will increase its frequency of flights to PVG from San Francisco (SFO) to a daily flight starting October 1. It currently operates four times per week. It will also resume daily flights between SFO and Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) from November 1.
The three major Chinese carriers, Air China (CA), China Eastern (MU), and China Southern (CZ), are yet to finalize their plans but have said they will also split the same number of weekly flights to the US.
Featured Image: Delta Airlines Airbus A330-323 (N802NW). Photo: Francesco Cecchetti/Airways
https://airwaysmag.com/united-expands-transpacific-network/
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