Seattle-Shanghai flight turned around because of anti-Covid cleanup imposed on China – The HuffPost

Lucas Jackson via Reuters

COVID-19 – The American company Delta Airlines decided to return to Seattle a plane in flight towards Shanghai last week due to new health restrictions required at the airport, drawing criticism from Chinese authorities.

“To comply with the cleaning requirements at Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) that were issued by the Chinese government on December 21, Flight 287 from Seattle to Shanghai returned to (Seattle) while it was en route to (Shanghai), ”said a company spokesperson in an email to AFP on Monday, December 27th.

“The new clean-up procedures require considerably extended floor time and are not operationally viable for Delta,” he added without giving details of the procedures in question.

Expired Covid Tests and Expired Visas

According to Chinese media, several passengers ended up in the United States with expired Covid tests and expired visas, prompting the Chinese consulate in San Francisco to officially complain to Delta.

Thousands of flights have been canceled in recent days by airlines around the world, many pilots and crews being ill or in quarantine due to the highly contagious Omicron variant of Covid-19.

Many authorities have also tightened the restrictions, the Chinese authorities being particularly on the teeth at the approach of the Beijing Olympics, which start in less than 40 days.

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