International flights to China resume as coronavirus restrictions ease
- Lufthansa, Delta lead the way with more airlines preparing to restart services in coming weeks
- Change of policy follows dispute between Beijing and Washington over aviation travel
Lufthansa, part of Europe’s largest airline group, restarted flights to the mainland this week, flying once a week between Frankfurt and Shanghai in the first regular scheduled flights operated by the German carrier since the pandemic began.
“The flights between Shanghai and Frankfurt are hopefully only the first of further Lufthansa Group connections in the coming weeks and months between mainland China and our home markets Germany, Austria, and Switzerland,” said Veli Polat, Lufthansa’s head of sales for Greater China.
United Airlines will resume its route between San Francisco and Shanghai, via Seoul, beginning July 8, according to a company statement, while fellow US carrier Delta Air Lines restarted its China flights this week with twice-weekly trips into Shanghai.
“Resuming service to Shanghai from the United States is a significant step in rebuilding our international network,” said Patrick Quayle, United’s vice-president of international network and alliances.
China introduced the “Five Ones” aviation policy at the end of March in an effort to reduce the number of imported coronavirus cases. Just one weekly passenger flight per route, per airline, was permitted into the country.