American Airlines has filed a complaint with the US Department of Transportation accusing Chinese regulators of dragging their feet over the granting of landing slots at Beijing Airport.
The carrier wants the DOT to intervene to speed up approval.
The DOT granted its own approval for the daily Los Angeles-Beijing route two months ago.
American wants to make its case by urging authorities to block Air China’s renewal application to fly from Beijing to Houston.
In the filing, American objects to the ‘failure of the Civil Aviation Administration of China to make commercially viable slots at Chinese airports available to American and other US carriers on a reciprocal basis.’
Under the current bilateral air accord, US airlines can operate up to 154 flights a week to Chinese destinations.
American already serves Beijing from Dallas and Chicago and operates to Shanghai from Los Angeles.
