Delta Flight to Shanghai Turned Around Mid-Flight Over COVID Rules

A Delta Airlines plane en route to Shanghai, China, was turned around in midflight and ordered to land in Seattle, Washington.

The Asoociated Press was the first to break the story, noting that “new pandemic-related cleaning requirements” forced the abrupt flight change.

Daily Mail called the happening a “Christmas flightmare.”

Delta’s unusual move prompted a grievance from the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco.

The grievance, posted to the WeChat platform, noted that the last-minute schedule change would result in unacceptable hardships to passengers, including issues related to expired COVID-19 test results and visas.    

The United States Embassy website includes an abundance of COVID-19-related recommendations and restrictions but does not mention new protocols for airlines.

Daily Wire reports that Delta’s emailed statement on the returned flight noted that “new mandates at Shanghai Pudong International Airport ‘require significantly extended ground time and are not operationally viable for Delta.'”

The statement added, “[China’s] new procedures were announced after the flight was already in the air, and the procedures require longer time on the ground than Delta is able to schedule there.”

Angry passengers argue Delta’s excuses do not justify their decision to unnecessarily inconvenience a plane full of people.

Many question the timing of Delta’s decision during Christmas to call back a flight. Disgruntled passengers pointed out the plane was in flight for 6 hours when Delta ordered the flight to return to the West Coast.

Delta’s refusal to elaborate on why it was necessary to call back the plane, and subsequent move to cancel all Seattle-to-Shanghai flights through Dec. 30, has upset the public, many of whom are already riled by Delta’s recent decision to charge unvaccinated employees an additional $200 per month.

China’s new cleaning stipulations, restrictions, testing, quarantine protocols, and the brewing tension between the U.S. and China have impacted East-West travel.

Eva Air reports they are suspending flights to Shanghai.

Paddle Your Own Kanoo News reports that two Taiwan-based airlines have also suspended flights to Shanghai, citing “new disinfection procedures that will take longer to complete.” 

Many are watching to see how new protocols will impact those traveling to Beijing for the Winter Olympics in February.

Delta Flight to Shanghai Turned Around Mid-Flight Over COVID Rules (resistthemainstream.org)