China eases airline suspension rules for inbound flights with Covid-19 cases
- Aviation authorities announce relaxation of bans for international flights exceeding case number threshold
- Adjustment is in keeping with State Council directions to promote people exchanges between China and other countries: CAAC
The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) issued a notice on Sunday to relax so-called circuit breaker measures that suspend international routes if the number of Covid-19 patients exceeds a case threshold.
The new measure reduces the previous maximum circuit breaker period from eight to four weeks and the minimum period from two weeks to one.
01:20
Hazmat suits and face shields worn by nearly every traveller flying to China
Under new rules for inbound flights carrying either five confirmed cases, or when infections are found in 4 per cent of passengers, the route will be suspended for one week and when the percentage reaches 8 per cent, it will be halted for two weeks.
Previously, if an airline carried five confirmed cases on a single inbound flight, the flight was suspended for two weeks, or the airline was limited to filling just 40 per cent of seats for four weeks. For two consecutive flights with 10 or more cases each, the flight was suspended immediately and halted for a total of 8 weeks.
The CAAC said the adjustment was in keeping with State Council directions to promote people exchanges between China and other countries as well as to ensure the prevention and control of the coronavirus was “scientific and precise”.
