Most US-Shanghai Flights Halted Over COVID-19 Concerns
China’s civil aviation regulator suspended most flights from the United States to Shanghai. Over 50 passengers on these flights have tested positive at Shanghai Pudong International Airport since the end of 2021.
Five flights to Shanghai, operated by the US Delta, United Airlines, American Airlines, and China Eastern Airlines, have been put on hold for two to four weeks beginning next week.
Delta Air Lines Flight DL287 from Seattle to Shanghai will be suspended through the end of February, because 6 passengers on the flight tested positive at the Pudong airport on January 1, while another 11 on the same flight tested positive on January 6.
American Airlines Flight AA127 will be on hold for four weeks beginning January 24 after 10 passengers tested positive at Pudong Airport on December 31.
China Eastern’s MU588 from New York to Shanghai and United Airlines Flight UA857 from San Francisco to Shanghai will be suspended for two weeks beginning next week.
Based on the suspension mechanism launched by CAAC in 2020, if the number of passengers testing positive reaches 5, the flight suspension will be extended from 1 week to 2 weeks. If 10 passengers are infected, the suspension will last for 4 weeks.
The airline could increase its inbound flight to 2 per week if no passenger tests positive 3 weeks in a row.
