Press Releases

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-MO) and Aviation Subcommittee Ranking Member Garret Graves (R-LA) issued the following joint statement in support of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s order to suspend scheduled passenger flights of Chinese air carriers to and from the United States:

“We applaud Secretary Chao’s bold and decisive leadership and stand with her in encouraging the Chinese regime to adhere to its obligations under our international air service agreement.  China must quickly reverse course and allow our passenger airlines access to the Chinese aviation market.  Until then, Chinese passenger airlines will be able to fly to the United States as frequently as U.S. passenger airlines can fly to China – which is not at all.”

Background Information:
The U.S. Department of Transportation order will be effective by June 16, 2020.  The action is being taken in response to the Government of the People’s Republic of China’s failure to permit U.S. carriers to exercise their rights under the U.S.-China Air Transport Agreement and conduct scheduled passenger air service to China.

U.S. passenger carriers asked to resume service, beginning June 1st, but the Chinese government has failed to approve their requests in violation of the Air Transport Agreement.  While no U.S. carriers are able to operate scheduled passenger flights between the United States and China, four Chinese carriers are currently flying between the two countries.