Chinese airlines are avoiding transiting Russian airspace in newly approved flights to and from the United States, according to flight tracking website FlightAware and industry officials.
The US Transportation Department (USDOT) on May 3 said it would allow Chinese airlines to increase US passenger services to 12 weekly round-trips, equal to the number of flights Beijing has permitted for American carriers. USDOT Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs Annie Petsonk declined to answer Thursday if the Biden administration had required that the Chinese carriers avoid Russian airspace as a condition of the approval.