China took drastic measures to halt the spread of COVID-19 cases in recent months, as the country experienced one of the year’s worst surges. The authorities imposed lockdowns in a number of areas, affecting transportation in and out of the country. However, as the number of reported cases has decreased, the suspension period for inbound international flights carrying Covid-positive passengers has been reduced for the time being. The Civil Aviation Administration (CAAC) has announced that incoming flights carrying passengers will be grounded for one week.
However, if the number of Covid-positive passengers exceeds 5% of the total, the rules will change. When the figure reaches around 8%, the CAAC stated that flights will be grounded for two weeks, with the airline responsible for enforcing the ban. The country has a reputation for enacting extremely harsh measures in the past, and this decision is seen as a step toward restoring normalcy.
The travel ban in China, as well as the grounding of international flights, have created massive havoc in the tourism industry. A number of Chinese citizens are also trapped outside the country due to a lack of travel options, which has severely harmed the country’s economy. When the pandemic began in 2020, the international border was closed, and not much has changed since then. While some concessions were made, it was returned to total lockdown during the recent surge in cases.
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