A coalition of prominent U.S. airlines and their respective labor unions have collectively taken a stance, reaching out to the Biden administration with a firm request: no further authorization of additional flights between the United States and China. Their appeal, driven by concerns over what they deem “anti-competitive” policies adopted by China, is a move to safeguard American aviation interests and the integrity of its workforce.
The plea for action was formalized in a correspondence addressed to two pivotal figures within the U.S. government – Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. Signed by the chief executive officer of the Airlines for America trade group and the leaders of the Air Line Pilots Association, the Allied Pilots Association (which includes American Airlines pilots among its members), and the Association of Flight Attendants, the letter raised red flags over practices that could hamper U.S. carriers’ operations.
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, China restricted its aviation markets from U.S. airlines and soon after laid down regulations that have since continued to affect not only the operational protocols but also the conditions under which airline crews from the U.S. function. The signatories argued that the impediments imposed by China underscored a vital requirement for the U.S. to develop and enforce a policy that would effectively shield the nation’s aviation employees, the industry at large, and passengers.
While the number of flights connecting the two countries has gradually increased since their nadir during the pandemic, they’re still a long way off the figures once noted prior to the global health crisis. The U.S. has slightly relaxed its stance recently, raising the cap on round trips permitted by Chinese carriers from 35 to 50 per week, starting March 31. This decision came on the heels of commitments assured by China’s aviation authority to seek a proportional elevation in flights serviced by U.S. airlines.
The crux of the U.S. airlines’ concern lies in the perceived competitive edge enjoyed by Chinese airlines. According to U.S. carriers, their Chinese counterparts benefit from flying shorter routes enabled by their access to Russian airspace – rights that have been denied to American flights since Russia’s incursion into Ukraine over two years ago. Furthermore, the U.S. industry representatives claim that these Chinese airlines are also the beneficiaries of “certain protections” stemming from their state-owned status.
These advantages, the letter warned, could lead to American carriers losing out on air routes to the Chinese if the situation persists without reciprocal access to China’s aviation markets. The U.S. airlines and unions contend that without balanced opportunities, the competition would not be on a level playing field, and the sustainability of the U.S. aviation sector’s presence in the transpacific market could be at risk.
The communication reflected broader concerns about the complexities of international aviation and its dependency on bilateral and multilateral agreements that ensure equal opportunities for carriers of different nations. This recent move by the U.S. airlines and their unions signals the importance they place on establishing a fair and competitive environment for their businesses and their workforce. It remains to be seen how the Biden administration will respond to this call for equitability in the skies between the world’s two largest economies.
