China plans to allow chartered flights from eight countries as it loosens restrictions on inbound travel imposed for the coronavirus pandemic, though the U.S. won’t be included amid growing tensions between the two nations, people familiar with the matter said.
Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Germany, the U.K., Italy, France and Switzerland will be allowed to schedule charter flights into China, the people said, asking not to be identified as the information isn’t public. They didn’t say how many of the flights will be permitted.
For the past two months, China has allowed international airlines to fly in only once a week under the “Five-One” policy, which also limits the external flights of domestic carriers. Beyond cargo services, U.S. airlines had already stopped flying to China by the time the policy was introduced, as had the likes of British Airways PLC and Lufthansa AG.
The Civil Aviation Administration of China didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. CAAC is allowing domestic and foreign airlines to apply for “green channels” for chartered flights to China, the state-run Global Times newspaper reported on Wednesday.
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