Biden administration suspends 44 flights by Chinese airlines

[SouthBayDem]

Source: Axios

The Transportation Department said on Friday that it is suspending 44 China-bound flights conducted by the country's airlines after the Chinese government canceled dozens of flights from American carriers.

Driving the news: Chinese authorities have suspended 44 flights since Dec. 31 from United Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Airlines due to coronavirus concerns.

What they're saying: DOT said that the Chinese government's actions "are adverse to the public interest and warrant proportionate remedial action by the Department."

Its "unilateral actions against the named U.S. carriers are inconsistent with the provisions of the agreement and are premised on circumstances wholly outside of the carriers’ control," the department added, referring to a U.S.-China bilateral agreement.

Read more: https://www.axios.com/biden-transportation-suspend-china-flights-8131acac-6c3e-4c6d-83de-be2e0ebc38da.html

[OneCrazyDiamond]

1. Xi would do well to realise

President Biden is not TFG.

[snowybirdie]

2. Doesn't bode well

for the Olympics. Can the athletes get there?

[Angleae]

6. Yes, take US airline to Japan/S Korea and transfer to a foreign flagged carrier.

[Rebl2]

3. Good question

I think some USA citizens participating in the Olympics are in other countries already, but I am sure many are not.

[Slammer]

4. olympics attendence

Many athletes don't go for the opening ceremonies or the whole games.

They travel early enough that they can get over jet lag, compete in their event, then go home.

Personally, I'd try to enjoy the whole Olympics experience. But many people don't end up doing that for one reason or another.

[Farmer-Rick]

5. But China seems only to be protecting itself from Covid-19

"DOT argued that China has a provision that allowed for carriers to choose "at their own discretion" how to react if five to nine passengers from any single inbound flight test positive for COVID-19 after arriving in China:

Suspending the flight for two weeks starting four weeks after the positive test, or imposing a 40% passenger limit.
The department said that Chinese officials' actions in canceling flights went against these rules."

If each of these carriers had 5 to 9 infected passengers, it's clear the Airlines are failing to ensure safe flights.

Capitalism meet a totalitarian government protecting it's people from a pandemic.

[pecosbob]

7. The CCP does not give a rat's butt about people dying from COVID