The Chinese government has imposed strict rules and regulations on international flights to curb the imported Covid-19 cases. It is reported that the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has directed that if five or more international passengers found to be tested positive for the coronavirus then the airline will have to suspend operations for two weeks on the specified route.
The flights will be suspended if 10 or more positive cases are found. The suspension rule will be applied to the destinations where positive cases will be found and will not hamper the airline’s other flights into China.
The pandemic’s first cases were reported in China. However, the government has claimed to have contained the coronavirus. The government believes that the recent surge in cases in the country is due to international travel.
CAAC director Feng Zhenglin, told the media, “The task of preventing the spread of the coronavirus will be quite tough as the country approaches the winter season, and urged carriers to supervise the implementation of the latest prevention measures.”
The CAAC has imposed over 130 suspension orders to over 54 Chinese airlines and 85 international carriers since June. It has suspended Ethiopian Airlines, Swiss and Russia’s Ikar Airlines this week. There were six Covid-19 positive passengers on the Switzerland to Shanghai flight. The global aviation industry is still scrambling to recover from the impact of the pandemic and is expected to fully recover by 2022.