China and the United States have agreed to discuss further increasing the number of direct passenger flights between the two countries, after adding four such flights last month.
China's State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on June 18 to discuss raising the number of direct flights between the two countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on its website. Industry insiders expect negotiations to begin subsequently.
On May 3, the US transportation department approved Chinese airlines adding four new direct flights to and from China, with Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, and Xiamen Airlines submitting applications to operate the new flights.
Chinese airlines have operated 12 flights between China and the US per week since May 30. Eight of them are to and from Los Angeles, and the rest are to and from New York.
With the increase in direct flights between China and the US, fare prices have slightly declined. Once the number of direct flights between China and the US fully recovers, flight fares will further drop, resulting in lower income for airlines, the insiders pointed out.
The recovery rate of flights between China and the US is only 6.5%, the lowest among all Pacific routes, according to the latest official US figures.
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