US Airlines Allege China Is Blocking Some Flights Due to COVID

In the face of more travel restrictions enacted by China, U.S. airlines allege that the Asian nation is blocking flights from America due to the ever-growing rate of positive Omicron variant cases of the COVID-19 virus.

According to a story by the Associated Press printed by Travel Weekly, China has blocked more than a dozen flights – past and future – from entering its borders.

Apparently, some passengers on flights that left American soil tested positive for the virus in December, prompting the crackdown.

American, Delta and United – the three major U.S. carriers that fly to China – have been affected.

According to the Associated Press, American had a total of six flights from its hub at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport to Shanghai canceled for later this month and into February. United also had six flights from San Francisco scheduled later in January to Shanghai canceled by the Chinese government. And Delta had one flight canceled last week and one on Friday, January 14, also to Shanghai.

The airlines’ main lobby group, Airlines for America, said it will try to intervene and settle the dispute.