US airlines oppose China's bid to add more flights

The head ​of industry ​group Airlines for ‌America said ​Thursday that carriers oppose adding more Chinese ‌direct flights to the United States even as China's president Xi Jinping ‌raised the idea. Chris Sununu, who ‌heads the group representing American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and others, said U.S. ⁠carriers ​continued ⁠to be hampered by the fact that Chinese ⁠carriers are allowed to overfly ​Russia on eight flights. He said he ⁠has been advocating to Trump administration officials ⁠not ​to give in.

"It's not just a minor thing. It's ⁠a huge cost to the airlines to have ⁠to ⁠go around Russia," Sununu said in an interview.