Since the early days of the pandemic, the Chinese government has imposed a policy known as the “circuit breaker” that imposes limits on inbound flights by airlines if their passengers subsequently test positive for the coronavirus. The U.S. government argues that the policy is an unfair restriction on aviation that violates a long-standing agreement between the two countries.
China-bound passengers are required to submit evidence of negative coronavirus test results and to undergo other screening. The Transportation Department said that the three U.S. carriers operating to China have complied and that the circuit breaker penalizes them for “circumstances wholly outside of the carriers’ control.”
“Our overriding goal is not the perpetuation of this situation, but rather an improved environment wherein the carriers of both parties will be able to exercise fully their bilateral rights,” the Transportation Department wrote in the order. “Only then will the Department’s actions to maintain a competitive balance and fair and equal opportunity among U.S. and Chinese air carriers in the scheduled passenger service marketplace no longer be necessary.”
Liu Pengyu, a spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Washington, said the global surge in virus
cases had led to an increase in cases being brought into China on international flights. The circuit breaker was designed to limit such cases, he said.
“The policy has been applied equally to Chinese and foreign airlines in a fair, open and transparent way,” he said. “It is very unreasonable for the U.S. to suspend Chinese airlines’ flights on this ground. We urge the U.S. side to stop disrupting and restricting the normal passenger flights operated by Chinese airlines.”
In August, the Chinese government imposed capacity limits on United Airlines, an alternative sanction under the circuit breaker. The United States responded, targeting…