Trump wants to ground Chinese airlines' advantage on US routes by making their flights hours longer

• The US Department of Transportation wants to ban Chinese airlines from flying over Russia on US routes. • The order aims to address competitive disparities faced by US airlines due to sanctions. • Chinese airlines have an advantage by avoiding longer, costlier routes around Russia.

A Department of Transportation order issued on Thursday aims to prohibit Chinese airlines from flying over Russia on US routes. Instead, these carriers would be forced to fly longer, less efficient paths — possibly adding multiple hours of extra flight time.

The order targets seven airlines, including Air China, Beijing Capital Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, and Xiamen Airlines. Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Airways was not named.

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