Chinese Airlines Oppose Ban on Flying Over Russia

China's major state-owned airlines have challenged a US proposal to ban flights crossing Russian airspace on routes between the two countries, citing an impact on passengers and a competitive imbalance.

Air China, China Eastern and China Southern are among six Chinese carriers that have filed complaints with the U.S. Department of Transportation against the order, proposed last week, which aims to ban flights over Russia by Chinese airlines.

In its response, China Eastern claimed that the measure “harms the public interest” and “creates inconvenience for travelers” from China and the US, stressing that the increased flight time would translate into higher costs and more expensive fares .

China Southern warned that the ban would negatively affect thousands of passengers, while Air China estimated that at least 4,400 travelers would be affected if the restriction comes into effect during the Thanksgiving (November 27) and Christmas season.

Russian airspace was closed to US airlines and most European carriers in 2022 following the imposition of Western sanctions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Chinese flights, however, continue to have access, giving them, according to Washington, an unfair advantage over their US competitors.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun had already reacted last week, considering the proposal a "punishment" for passengers around the world.

According to David Yu, an aviation expert at New York University in Shanghai, the inability to fly over Russia has increased the duration of some US-China routes by two to three hours, putting pressure on the operating costs and profitability of US airlines.

"Historically, the China-US route has been highly profitable for both sides," Yu said. "If Chinese carriers can fly over Russia, their costs are lower," he noted.

Still, Chinese companies have faced financial difficulties since the Covid-19 pandemic.

The US Department of Transportation argues that Chinese operators' ability to use the most efficient route creates "competitive imbalances" by allowing them to offer faster, and therefore more appealing, flights to consumers.

US carrier United Airlines also spoke in the lawsuit, asking that Cathay Pacific — Hong Kong's flag carrier, which is not on the list of Chinese carriers covered — be excluded from the ban.

European airlines such as Air France-KLM have also complained about the restriction of Russian airspace.