China resumes direct international flights to Beijing
Beijing, Sep 2 (efe-epa).- China will allow a select number of direct international flights to Beijing for the first time since March, officials announced on Wednesday.
Nine routes from eight countries will be allowed to land in the capital of the Asian country from Thursday after all flights were suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China.
These destinations have been approved by authorities from countries that are registering fewer cases of Covid-19.
Thailand, Pakistan, Canada, Greece, Denmark, Austria, Switzerland and Cambodia are included on the safe list.
The first direct flight to Beijing will depart from the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh operated by the country’s flagship airline Air China.
Chinese authorities diverted more than 500 arrivals to Beijing since 23 March, forcing them to make a stopover in other cities in the country.
Passengers had to undergo health controls or quarantine for 14 days before they were allowed to continue their journey to the capital.
The CAAC warned that it will impose stricter prevention and control measures for flights arriving directly to Beijing, limiting the number of passengers per plane as well as the number of people who can pass through the Beijing Capital International Airport each day.
If more than three coronavirus infections are detected on one of these flights, the plane in question will be rerouted to another city where it had made health stops in recent months.
The CAAC said it will continue to evaluate the international situation of the pandemic and the demand of travelers to China so that other international passenger routes that have been diverted to other cities can resume direct flights to Beijing.
