Chinese national flag carrier Air China announced on Friday that it was planning to operate 24 international routes during June. In a statement posted on its website, the Beijing-based airline said that it was adding additional flights on top of those flown in May. The two new routes will link Beijing with the Spanish capital Madrid and the Philippine capital of Manila. Flights to and from Beijing to Madrid will now arrive and depart from Terminal 4 rather than Terminal 1.
To curtail the number of people infected with the coronavirus from entering the country Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC) announced in March that it would limit the number of international flights. These measures restricted Chinese airlines by allowing only one flight between China and another country. For example, if you flew multiple flights from China to, say, Canada, you would now have to choose between Toronto and Vancouver. In addition to the one destination in a country rule, airlines were only permitted to fly one international flight per week.
Air China International destinations June 2020
According to the Air China statement starting from June 1 through July 1, Air China will fly to the following destination from Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu.
Flights to North America
All Air China flights to North America will link Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) with Los Angeles and Vancouver.
Flights to Europe
Flights to Europe will link Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) with Paris, Copenhagen, Minsk, Madrid, Stockholm, Warsaw, Vienna, Moscow, Athens, Frankfurt, and London. Air China will also fly from Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) to Frankfurt and London.
Flights in Asia
Air China will fly to the following Asian destination from Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) during June.
Phnom Penh, Yangon, Delhi, Dubai, Islamabad, Karachi, Bangkok, Manila, and Seoul. From Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG), Air China will operate one flight to Tokyo. From Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CTU), Air China will fly to Kathmandu and Singapore.
People traveling from Russia to China must test for COVID-19
According to Business Traveller, Air China requires passengers who are returning from Russia to prove they tested negative for COVID-19. If a passenger cannot provide documentation that they have been tested, they will not be allowed to board the plane.
Traveling to China this summer could be difficult
People looking to visit China this summer may still experience difficulties getting in and out of the country. This follows the extension of a policy that limited the number of flights due to the coronavirus pandemic. As we can see in the Air China June schedule, only two new destinations have been added to its international route network. Concerning foreign airlines, several have submitted requests to return flying to China in June but have not received approval.
The CAAC has told airlines that they need to submit their flight plans two months in advance. This means that if an airline is looking to fly to China in August, they must provide a schedule to the Chinese authorities in June.
What does not help matters is the fact that China and the United States are embroiled in several disputes that have the Americans saying that China is stalling when it comes to allowing United States carriers to fly to China.
Have you ever flown with Air China? If so, we would love to hear what you thought of them in the comments section.