Kovit-19: On the way to China, the Delta flight returned due to new restrictions

The US company Delta Airlines last week decided to return a flight from Shanghai to Seattle because of the need for new health restrictions at the airport, which drew criticism from Chinese authorities.

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“Flight 287 (Seattle) en route from Seattle to Shanghai (Seattle) was diverted to Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) cleaning requirements issued by the Chinese government on December 21,” the spokesman said in an email to AFP on Monday.

“The new cleaning procedures require significantly extended ground time and are not feasible for Delta to operate,” he said without providing details of the procedures in question.

According to Chinese media reports, many travelers ended up in the United States with expired Govt checks and expired visas, prompting the Chinese embassy in San Francisco to officially lodge a complaint with Delta.

Thousands of flights have been canceled in recent days by airlines around the world, with many pilots and crew sick or isolated due to the highly contagious Omicron variant of the Covit-19.

Many officials have tightened restrictions, especially as the Chinese authorities approach the Beijing Olympics, which will begin in 40 days.