On May 22nd, the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) ordered Chinese airlines to file schedules after the US government accused China of blocking US airlines from restarting flights to Mainland China. Now, Chinese airlines have filed those schedules with the DOT. Simple Flying has extensively reviewed these documents. Here's where these airlines are flying now. Some airlines even included information about future route plans.
Hainan Airlines
Hainan Airlines is currently not flying any flights to the United States. However, from July 1st, the airline plans on restarting flights from Beijing to Boston and Seattle. The airline will use a combination of Boeing 787, Airbus A330, and Airbus A350s to serve Beijing (PEK)- Boston Logan (BOS) and PEK-Seattle (SEA) daily. These schedules are subject to approval by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).
Hainan has scheduled the block time for the PEK to BOS leg at 13 hours and 15 minutes. The return is slightly longer at 13 hours and 50 minutes. Meanwhile, PEK to SEA is blocked at 10 hours and 35 minutes while the return is scheduled to take 11 hours and 20 minutes.
China Southern Airlines
China Southern is currently flying a once-weekly rotation between its hub in Guangzhou and Los Angeles (LAX). This flight departs Guangzhou (CAN) on Saturdays while the return operates on Sundays.
This route is operated with an Airbus A380– one of the few in passenger service right now. Codesharing with China Southern on this route is Delta, American Airlines, and Xiamen Airlines.
Air China
Air China is currently operating a triangle route from Beijing to Los Angeles to Tianjin to Beijing. Using a Boeing 777-300ER, Air China flies from Beijing to Los Angeles on Sundays. The return flight departs LAX on Sunday. The Tianjin to Beijing segment operates on Tuesdays.
China Eastern Airlines
China Eastern is currently flying a once-weekly flight between Shanghai Pudong (PVG) and New York. On Tuesdays, a Boeing 777-300ER operates between PVG and JFK. The return flight from JFK to PVG runs on Thursdays.
However, subject to approval from the CAAC, China Eastern wants to restart a robust list of flights to the United States from September 1st:
- Thrice weekly service between the cities of Chengdu, Nanjing, Los Angeles (CTU-NKG-LAX-NKG-CTU) service using Airbus A330-300s and Boeing 777-300ERs
- Twice daily service between Shanghai Pudong and Los Angeles (PVG-LAX) service using Boeing 777-300ERs and Airbus A330-300s
- Daily service between Fuzhou, Shanghai Pudong, and New York (FOC-PVG-JFK-PVG-FOC) service using a Boeing 777-300ER
- Daily service between Shanghai Pudong and New York (PVG-JFK) service onboard a Boeing 777-300ER
- Daily Shanghai Pudong-San Francisco (PVG-SFO) service using Boeing 777-300ERs and Airbus A330-300s
- Four weekly Shanghai Pudong-Chicago (PVG-ORD) flights using Boeing 777-300ERs
- Thrice weekly Taiyuan-Shanghai-Chicago service (TYN-PVG-ORD-PVG-TYN) using a Boeing 777-300ER
Xiamen Airlines
Xiamen Airlines is currently flying a once-weekly flight from Xiamen (XMN) to Los Angeles. Using a combination of Boeing 787-8s and -9s, the flight departs XMN on Sundays. Return flights from LAX depart on Mondays. The airline also codeshares with China Southern's A380 service between Guangzhou and Los Angeles.
From July 1st, the airline also plans to reinstate more services to the United States with government approval:
- Thrice weekly FOC-JFK services onboard Boeing 787-8/787-9s
- Thrice weekly XMN-LAX flights onboard Boeing 787-8/787-9s
- Thrice weekly XMN-TAO-LAX-TAO-XMN flights onboard Boeing 787-8/787-9s (TAO is the airport code for Qingdao)
Sichuan Airlines
Sichuan Airlines is planning on resuming US flights from Friday, June 12th. The airline will use either Airbus A350-900s or Airbus A330-200s on a Chengdu – Hangzhou (HGH) – Los Angeles – Hangzhou – Chengdu routing.
The aircraft will operate CTU-HGH-LAX routings on Fridays. The LAX-HGH-CTU routing will operate on Saturdays.
Overall
China has one of the strictest international flight restrictions in place. The CAAC is only allowing foreign and Chinese carriers to fly one flight per week between a country and China. For US airlines, however, once-weekly flights are not sustainable. And, if the CAAC does not relent, it would be unlikely to see US airlines return to China next month. Currently, both Delta and United are seeking a restart of flights to mainland China.
Do you think China should grant US airlines permission to fly daily between the US and mainland China? Let us know in the comments!