DISCRIMINATION China has been forced to back down on a directive issued to its airlines and ticketing agents that called for a ban on carrying passengers from 19 mostly Middle Eastern countries. Widespread reports quoting Chinese Government notices say that airlines were instructed not to carry passengers from 19 countries, including Afghanistan, Israel, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates. The directives were issued after the 11 September terrorist attacks in the USA. Chinese Government officials are now denying that such a ban exists, however, claiming that some airlines misunderstood the notice.
Source: Flight International