The US could ban Chinese airlines flying through Russia so US planes can compete – Jalopnik

As the trade war between the US and China flares up again, the Ministry of Transport is considering banning Chinese airlines from flying through Russian airspace. While this could be yet another bargaining chip in negotiations between the two countries, the idea is to reduce the competitive gap that Russia has inadvertently created between American and Chinese aircraft. The Kremlin closed its airspace to Western aircraft after sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine; flights from the US therefore have to take a longer route to reach China. However, Russia does not restrict Chinese flights, giving these airlines shorter flight times and attracting more passengers.

As reported by Reuterssince then this all gets a bit weird some Chinese flights are already unable to use Russian airspace if they want to land in America. The longest non-stop flight in the world currently wins that title for this reason alone. The context here is that in 2023 DOT made a deal with these airlines allowing them to fly more frequently, provided the new flights avoided Russia. But those who were already running could continue flying where they had always flown. It is the latter that may be on the chopping block.

These are two pretty big countries with the largest economies in the world. You’d think flights between them would be common. You’d be wrong: flights between North America and China are actually the least flown of all regions, and that’s by design. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, there were about 150 such flights per week; during the lockdown, DOT limited that to just 35, and 50 opened again in 2024. This is policy, not coincidence.

It is therefore quite difficult for an airline to fly these routes. By allowing American aircraft to fly longer distances, while (some) Chinese aircraft do not have to do so, the former have clearly run into problems. The extra flight time comes with more penalties than just scaring away passengers: It also means those planes have to reduce their weight, which means ticket or baggage restrictions. So as you might expect, the Chinese airlines are claiming that this new rule should not be implemented United Airlines is actually arguing That more foreign airlines should be subject to the new rule. Imagine that!

This could all just be saber-rattling as the trade war heats up again, and it’s possible this proposed rule will never be implemented. On the other hand, Russia could always just stop invading Ukraine and reopen its airspace to the West. Really, that’s the best option.