Trump administration proposes ban on Chinese airlines using Russian airspace for U.S. routes
The Trump administration has proposed banning Chinese airlines from flying over Russian airspace on routes to and from the United States, arguing that the practice gives them an unfair competitive edge over American carriers.
The U.S. Transportation Department announced the proposal on Thursday, saying that Chinese airlines benefit from shorter flight times and lower fuel costs by using Russian airspace — a route unavailable to U.S. carriers since 2022, when Washington banned Russian flights in response to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Russia retaliated by prohibiting U.S. airlines from entering its airspace, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
“The current situation is unfair and has resulted in substantial adverse competitive effects on U.S. air carriers,” the Transportation Department said in its statement. The restriction would apply to foreign air carrier permits issued by the United States but would not affect cargo-only flights.
The decision could impact passenger flights operated by Air China, China Eastern, China Southern, and Xiamen Airlines, all of which currently use Russian routes for trans-Pacific flights. Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific, which also overflies Russia on its New York–Hong Kong route, was not mentioned in the proposed order.
Chinese aviation authorities, the Chinese embassy in Washington, and Airlines for America, a trade group representing American Airlines, Delta, and United Airlines, have not yet commented on the proposal.
The announcement marks another escalation in trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies. It follows Beijing’s move earlier this week to tighten controls on exports of rare earth minerals vital to U.S. industries.
Shares of China’s three major state-owned airlines fell slightly on Friday following the news — Air China dropped 1.3%, China Southern fell 1.8%, and China Eastern slipped 0.3%. The carriers have reported five consecutive years of losses since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The proposed overflight ban comes as U.S.–China relations remain strained across trade, aviation, and security fronts. Boeing is currently in talks to sell up to 500 jets to China, a deal that could ease some of the tension between the two countries.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are expected to meet in South Korea at the end of October. Chinese carriers have been given two days to respond to the proposal, with a final order potentially taking effect by November.
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