Back in November, the US DOT selected American over Delta and awarded the airline the right to operate a daily flight from LAX to Beijing (PEK). However, American says that it’s been unable to actually obtain takeoff and landing slots from the Chinese government…even ones at midnight and in the wee hours of the morning.
.@AmericanAir says China has refused to grant it PEK slots to operate the LAX service it has @USDOT approval for
— Ghim-Lay Yeo 杨锦丽 (@ghimlay) January 30, 2017
American has now filed an objection with the US DOT, asking them to block the renewal of Air China’s authorization on Beijing (PEK) – Houston (IAH). The objection lists “the failure of the Civil Aviation Administration of China to make commercially viable slots at Chinese airports available to American and other U.S. carriers on a reciprocal basis.”
“Even though American was recently awarded the U.S.-China frequencies and necessary exemption authority from the (DOT) to inaugurate Los Angeles-Beijing service, American cannot serve this route without slots in Beijing,” American wrote. “To date, the (Civil Aviation Administration of China) has refused to provide any slots to allow American to exercise its bilaterally conferred rights.”
American alleges that the Chinese government is helping Air China maintain a monopoly on nonstop service between LAX and PEK.
According to Dallas News, United is experiencing similar difficulties at Shanghai (PVG).
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2 comments
“According to Dallas News, United is experiencing similar difficulties at Shanghai (PVG).”
United did have difficulty getting slots for its second daily PVG-SFO service, and had to get two six month extensions from the DOT. It did finally get a 0015 departure from PVG and started the service in Oct 2016 (more than a year later than planned).
American wrote to the DOT supporting United’s second extension. Let’s see if UA returns the favor if it’s needed.
Turnabout is fair play. There seems to be a sudden congestion problem at LAX and SFO. Time to revoke some landing slots for Air China, China Eastern and China Southern.