Why US Airlines Are Fighting Air China's Bid For More US Flights

A group of U.S. airlines is pushing back against Air China’s request for two additional flights to the United States during President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Washington, D.C., and New York. Before COVID-19, more than 300 weekly flights operated between the countries, but today both sides are limited to about 50 weekly flights total shared among carriers. Air China asked to serve Washington Dulles (IAD) and New York JFK (JFK). U.S. carriers argue the requests could set a precedent for more routings via Russian airspace, forcing American operators to fly longer and cost more. They say flights could proceed only as charters, amid an earlier proposed U.S. ban on Chinese carriers using Russian airspace.