(Yicai Global) Aug. 25 -- China Eastern Airlines and Juneyao Airlines each had a flight slapped with a 'circuit breaker’ order from yesterday due to various Covid-19 infected inbound passengers being aboard, Shanghai’s information bureau reported the same day via its Weibo account, citing the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

Nine passengers on China Eastern Airlines' Flight MU212 from Manila to Shanghai tested positive for coronavirus nucleic acid on Aug. 12, and another eight travelers on Juneyao Airlines' Flight HO1606 from Singapore to the eastern Chinese megacity turned up positive on Aug. 15.

If the number of passengers on a flight on the same route to China testing positive reaches five, the airline's flight will be grounded for one week, and if the number hits 10, the route is idled for four weeks, per rules the CAAC published on June 4. The number of flights affected may not be adjusted for other routes, and the carriers are banned from restoring the one flight per week plan until the tripwire period ends.

China Eastern Airlines' Flight MU212 received the CAAC's stand-down order on Aug. 11, with its operation shelved for one week after six passengers onboard were positive in nucleic acid tests on Aug. 5.

The CAAC has thus far issued seven such orders impacting 16 flights.

Editor: Ben Armour