美交通部实施“熔断对等” 中美航线运力遭削减
By 陈姗姗
8/19/2021
19日早间，美国交通部发布文件，要求中国的航空公司在未来四周内，将部分中国赴美航班的客座率限制在40%。
通告指出，这是对于美联航被触发“熔断”措施的回应，并且即刻执行。
这意味着，原本就供不应求的中美航线航班运力将再遭削减，除了影响几家中方航空公司的收益，直接影响的还有将要赴美留学的学生，以及中美航线票价。
客座率削减背后
根据美国交通部发布的通告，被限制的中国航空公司赴美航班包括：8.23-8.29期间，国航CA987北京-洛杉矶；8.30-9.5期间，东航MU587上海-纽约；9.6-9.12期间，南航CZ327广州-洛杉矶；9.13-9.19期间，厦航MF829厦门-洛杉矶。
目前在中美航线上，一共就只有这四家中国的航空公司执飞中美航班，美国则是美联航、美国航空和达美航空。
7月21日，美联航由旧金山至上海的UA857航班，有5名乘客入境后核酸检测为阳性，触发了民航局的“熔断机制”。
根据熔断机制的最新规定，美联航有三个选择：一是取消两班定期航班；二是原定期航班改为不载客货运航班；三是四班定期航班的载客率不得超过40%。
美联航最终选择了第三个方案，从8月11日开始实行。
这也是美国交通部发布上述通告的导火索。在此之前，美国交通部就曾实施过类似的“对等”措施。
去年8月，美国交通部发布的通告称，允许中国的航空公司运营总计8个每周往返美国的定期客运航班，与中国民航局当时允许美国的航空公司增加后的定期客运航班数量对应。这一决定使中美之间的航班量翻倍。
赴美票价或进一步上涨
而此次美方再出最新通告，也将直接影响中美航线的运力。如果中国的四家航空公司都要执行限制在40%的客座率，那么四家航司都需要对现有订票的不少旅客进行退票处理。
目前正值美国开学旺季，几天前一张照片就在网间广为流传，说的是美国开放留学生入境后，中国留学生在上海浦东机场排队值机去美国，有的航班等待值机和送行的队伍长达千米。
多家中美航线的中外航司对记者透露，目前从北京和上海出发，经香港去美国的航班的确需求旺盛，机场值机时间和排队的确都很长。
与赴美航班需求同步增长的，还有赴美航线的机票价格。7月份从中国内地经中国香港转机去美国的机票，经济舱还能买到5000~8000元的机票，商务舱16000元左右，进入8月，经济舱机票已经涨到2万~3万元，商务舱更是达到7万~10万元。
而多位行业内人士对记者预计，随着美国限制中国航司赴美航班的客座率，更多留学生只能通过转机去美国，这也将进一步推涨中美航线的机票价格。
据航班管家的统计数据，上周，中国大陆往返美国直飞航班共计42架次，出发机场主要分布在北上广深一线城市和福建厦门，包括北京首都、广州白云、厦门高崎、上海浦东、深圳宝安几个机场，其中北京首都出发航班最多，占比76.19%；此外，上周中国大陆所有可能通过中转到达美国的航班数为8962，其中通过韩国、中国台湾、法国、德国中转到达美国的航班最多，占总数的33.88%。
美国将限制部分中国赴美航班以40%客座率运行四周
8/18/2021
美国运输部周三宣布，将限定部分中国赴美航班以40%的客座率运行四周。之前中国政府对美国联合航空公司的四个航班实施类似限制举措。
据路透社报道，中国8月6日对美国联合航空实施限制措施，因其7月21日由旧金山飞往上海的航班有五位乘客核酸检测为阳性。
美国运输部的这项命令称，该部将对有定期中美航线的四家中国航空公司由中国飞美国的单程航班以40%的客座率运行四周。
联合航空和中国驻华盛顿大使馆没有立即发表评论。
美国政府说，中国的“熔断”政策违反了两国的航空服务协议，并“让航空公司因乘客抵达中国后被检测出新冠阳性而承担不应有的责任”。
运输部补充说，航空公司“没有办法独立核实中国当局声称的阳性检测结果。此外，没有办法确定乘客可能在哪里或什么时候感染。”
中国当局给了美联航三个选择：取消两个旧金山到上海的航班；运营两个没有乘客的航班；或者以不超过40%的客座率运营四个航班。
从8月11日开始对美联航四个旧金山至上海的航班实施这些限制。
拜登政府表示，它将对四个周三的航班实施四周相同的限制举措–中国国航、中国东方航空、中国南方航空和厦门航空各一个航班。
这些限制举措推出之际，正值许多中国学生要前往美国开始秋季课程。
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U.S. will limit some Chinese passenger air carriers to 40% capacity -order
By David Shepardson
8/18/2021
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Transportation Department on Wednesday said it will limit some flights from Chinese carriers to 40% passenger capacity for four weeks after the Chinese government imposed similar limits on four United Airlines flights.
China told United on Aug. 6 it was imposing sanctions after it alleged five passengers who traveled from San Francisco to Shanghai tested positive for COVID-19 on July 21.
The U.S. order said the department will limit over a four-week period each of four Chinese carriers to 40% capacity on a single China-U.S. flight.
United Airlines said it was “pleased to see this action by the (Transportation Department) in pursuit of fairness in this important market.”
The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately comment.
The U.S. government says China’s “circuit breaker” policy violates the nations’ air services agreement and “places undue culpability on carriers with respect to travelers that test positive for COVID-19 after their arrival in China.”
The department added carriers “have no means to independently verify positive test results alleged by Chinese authorities. Furthermore, there is no way to establish where or when a traveler may have contracted” the virus.
Chinese authorities gave United three options: cancel two San Francisco to Shanghai flights; operate two without passengers; or operate four flights with up to 40% of passenger capacity.
The limits were imposed on four Wednesday United San Francisco-Shanghai flights, beginning with an Aug. 11 flight.
The Biden administration said it will impose identical limits on four flights over four weeks – one each from Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines Co and Xiamen Airlines.
The limits come as many Chinese students are headed to the United States for the start of fall classes.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, China and the United States have sparred over air services.
In June 2020, the United States threatened to bar Chinese passenger flights after Beijing did not immediately agree to restore flights by U.S. airlines.
U.S. carriers voluntary halted flights to China after the coronavirus outbreak. Then-President Donald Trump on Jan. 31, 2020 barred nearly all non-U.S. citizens from traveling to the United States who had been in China within the last 14 days.
Those restrictions on Chinese travelers remain in place. The Biden administration in April eased restrictions on Chinese students traveling to U.S. schools effective Aug. 1.
A long-standing air agreement between China and the United States allows both countries to operate more than 100 weekly flights between the two nations but only a fraction of those are currently operating.
美国将从8月1日允许中国留学生赴美上课
4/28/2021
美国政府周二宣布，将在今年秋季放宽针对中国和其他国家的国际学生进入美国的旅行限制，这一调整可能会为一些在大流行期间招生人数下降的大学带来经济帮助。
据路透社报道，美国国务院声明，将从8月1日起将国家利益豁免扩大到来自世界各地的留学生和学者，此前美国国务院在3月为来自欧洲的留学生作出了上述调整。
在美学习的国际学生中中国学生人数最多。根据国际教育交流(IEE)的数据，2019-20学年约有35%的国际学生来自中国，几乎是排在第二位的印度留学生人数的两倍。
受疫情影响，美国禁止大多数在两周内去过中国、巴西、南非、伊朗和欧洲大部分地区的非美国公民入境美国。现在，所有来自这些国家的留学生都可以在今年秋季前往美国。
IEE在2020年11月发布的一份报告中写道，2019-20学年，37.2万名中国公民在美国的大学和学院就读。
根据美国国家学生信息交换所的数据，2020年秋季，美国大专院校入学总人数下降了2.5%，几乎是2019年秋季入学人数降幅的两倍。
2020年1月，时任美国总统特朗普首次宣布实施限制，禁止几乎所有去过中国的非美国公民入境美国。美国大专院校一直在敦促国务院在国际学生不得不做出入学决定前采取行动。
一位政府官员说，尽管宣布了这一消息，但官员们正在“密切关注疫情状况和演变轨迹”。
目前尚不清楚美国的大专院校或政府是否会承认中国学生接种的、没有获得美国食品药物管理局(FDA)批准的疫苗。部分美国学校要求学生在复课前完成疫苗接种。
另一个大问题是，首次申请学生签证的人员需要在美国大使馆和领事馆进行面签。美国国务院周二说，“正继续在遵循卫生部门科学指引的情况下，寻求处理更多签证申请的方法。”
美国教育理事会(ACE)援引一项研究称，2019-20学年，国际学生带来的总体经济影响从上一年的405亿美元（537.20亿新元）下降了18亿美元。
IEE报告称，2019学年，中国学生带给美国的经济影响约为159亿美元。
Travel.State.Gov
U.S. DEPARTMENT of STATE — BUREAU of CONSULAR AFFAIRS
National Interest Exceptions for Certain Travelers from China, Iran, Brazil, South Africa, Schengen Area, United Kingdom, and Ireland
Last Updated: April 26, 2021
On April 26, 2021, the Secretary of State made a national interest determination regarding categories of travelers eligible for exceptions under Presidential Proclamations (PPs) 9984, 9992, and 10143 related to the spread of COVID-19. As a result of this determination, together with national interest determinations already in place, travelers subject to these proclamations, due to their presence in China, Iran, Brazil, South Africa, the Schengen area, the United Kingdom, and Ireland, who are seeking to provide vital support for critical infrastructure; journalists; students and certain academics covered by exchange visitor programs, may now qualify for a National Interest Exception (NIE). Students and academics subject to these proclamations due to their presence in China, Iran, Brazil, or South Africa, may qualify for an NIE only if their academic program begins August 1, 2021 or later. Qualified travelers who are applying for or have valid visas or ESTA authorization may travel to the United States following the procedures below, even as PPs 9984, 9992, and 10143 remain in effect.
Students with valid F-1 and M-1 visas intending to begin or continue an academic program commencing August 1, 2021 or later do not need to contact an embassy or consulate to seek an individual NIE to travel. They may enter the United States no earlier than 30 days before the start of their academic studies. Students seeking to apply for new F-1 or M-1 visas should check the status of visa services at the nearest embassy or consulate; those applicants who are found to be otherwise qualified for an F-1 or M-1 visa will automatically be considered for an NIE to travel.
Travelers in categories described above who have a valid visa in the appropriate class or who have a valid ESTA authorization for travel under the Visa Waiver Program and seek to travel for purposes consistent with ESTA authorization, should contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate before traveling, if they believe they may qualify for a National Interest Exception. If a National Interest Exception is approved, they may travel on either a valid visa or ESTA authorization, as appropriate.
The Department of State also continues to grant NIEs for qualified travelers seeking to enter the United States for purposes related to humanitarian travel, public health response, and national security. These travelers and any others who believe their travel to be in the United States’ national interest should also review the website of the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for instruction on how to contact them.
As with all NIEs for qualified travelers seeking to enter the United States under a Presidential Proclamation, if circumstances warrant, the Secretary of State may revise the national interest determination.
CDC Expands Negative COVID-19 Test Requirement to All Air Passengers Entering the United States
Media Statement
For Immediate Release: Tuesday, January 12, 2021
Contact: Media Relations
(404) 639-3286
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expanding the requirement for a negative COVID-19 test to all air passengers entering the United States. Testing before and after travel is a critical layer to slow the introduction and spread of COVID-19. This strategy is consistent with the current phase of the pandemic and more efficiently protects the health of Americans.
Variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus continue to emerge in countries around the world, and there is evidence of increased transmissibility of some of these variants. With the US already in surge status, the testing requirement for air passengers will help slow the spread of the virus as we work to vaccinate the American public.
Before departure to the United States, a required test, combined with the CDC recommendations to get tested again 3-5 days after arrival and stay home for 7 days post-travel, will help slow the spread of COVID-19 within US communities from travel-related infections. Pre-departure testing with results known and acted upon before travel begins will help identify infected travelers before they board airplanes.
Air passengers are required to get a viral test (a test for current infection) within the 3 days before their flight to the U.S. departs, and provide written documentation of their laboratory test result (paper or electronic copy) to the airline or provide documentation of having recovered from COVID-19. Airlines must confirm the negative test result for all passengers or documentation of recovery before they board. If a passenger does not provide documentation of a negative test or recovery, or chooses not to take a test, the airline must deny boarding to the passenger.
“Testing does not eliminate all risk,” says CDC Director Robert R. Redfield, MD, “but when combined with a period of staying at home and everyday precautions like wearing masks and social distancing, it can make travel safer, healthier, and more responsible by reducing spread on planes, in airports, and at destinations.”
This order was signed by the CDC Director on January 12, 2021 and will become effective on January 26, 2021.
Source: https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/s0112-negative-covid-19-air-passengers.html
Millions of Americans expected to travel for the holidays
The CDC is advising against it
2020/12/23
Despite a recent spike in COVID-19 cases, millions of people are expected to travel for the holidays.
AAA projects as many as 84.5 million Americans may travel from Wednesday, Dec. 23 through Jan. 3, a decline of at least 29% from 2019.
Hannah Buchner is in the Army and flew into the San Luis Obispo airport Wednesday from North Carolina. She noticed extra safety precautions in place.
“Everyone was wearing masks. Just a little more distancing, and there’s a lot more cleaning procedures on the plane,” she said.
While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is urging Americans not to go anywhere for the holidays this year, for those who do, they recommend taking a COVID-19 test one to three days before travel and another three to five days after travel, in addition to reducing nonessential activities for seven days after.
Maureeni Stanislaus, who flew into San Luis Obispo Wednesday after visiting her mother, says she did get tested.
“I did a COVID test right before I left and I was lucky enough to get the first dose of the vaccine on Friday,” she said.
As for methods of travel, AAA says most Americans who do go somewhere in the next few weeks will do so by car, with road trips accounting for 96% of holiday travel.
