Delta Air Lines and United Airlines hope to resume flights to China in June, four months after they suspended service to the country during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic.
Atlanta-based Delta aims resume operate daily flights to Shanghai Pudong (PVG) from both its Detroit (DTW) and Seattle-Tacoma (SEA) hubs on June 1, the airline said Monday. It would fly an Airbus A350-900 on the Detroit route and an Airbus A330-900 on the Seattle route. The A350 will become Delta’s largest jet with its recent decision to retire its Boeing 777s.
Chicago-based United plans to resume daily service to Shanghai from both Newark (EWR) and San Francisco (SFO) on June 4, Cirium schedules show and United confirmed. The airline would also resume flights between Beijing Capital (PEK) and San Francisco the same day.
United would fly a 777-300ER on the Newark-Shanghai route, and a Boeing 787-9 — the new “workhorse” of its long-haul fleet — on both San Francisco routes.
Any resumption in passenger flights is subject to Chinese government approval, both carriers said.
American Airlines, for one, is not expecting a significant uptick in travel to China anytime soon. The Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier has suspended flights to both Beijing and Shanghai until the end of October.
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