WASHINGTON, June 1 (Reuters) - Chinese airlines are avoiding flying over Russian airspace in newly approved flights to and from the United States, according to flight tracking website FlightAware and industry officials. Russia has barred U.S. airlines and other foreign carriers from flying over its airspace, in retaliation for Washington banning Russian flights over the U.S. in March 2022 after the country invaded Ukraine. FlightAware records show Chinese flights recently approved by Washington are not flying over Russia, while previously approved Chinese airline U.S. flights are still using Russian airspace. Previously, only eight weekly flights by Chinese carriers were allowed. The 12 weekly flights are a small fraction of the more than 150 round-trip flights allowed by each side before restrictions were imposed in early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Persons: International Affairs Annie Petsonk, Biden, Petsonk, USDOT, David Shepardson, David Gregorio Our Organizations: U.S, U.S . Transportation Department, Aviation, International Affairs, Air China, China, Xiamen Airlines, China Southern, Embassy, Airlines for, Thomson Locations: United States, Russia, Washington, Ukraine, Beijing, China, New York, Shanghai Los Angeles, Xiamen, Los Angeles, Guangzhou, U.S, Airlines for America