DOT awards six new non-stop China routes to U.S. carriers

The Transportation Department has handed down route awards to six U.S. airlines for new non-stop service to China over the next two years. Awarded new routes for service beginning in 2008 were Delta, for Atlanta-Shanghai; and United for San Francisco-Guangzhou. Route awards proposed to take effect in 2009 include American for Chicago-Beijing; Continental for Newark-Shanghai; Northwest for Detroit-Shanghai; and US Airways for Philadelphia-Beijing. Delta said it expects to begin flying March 30, 2008 on its new route between Atlanta and Shanghai, using a two-class 777. Delta added that it intends to introduce lie-flat BusinessElite seats on its 777s starting next year, along with new on-demand in-flight entertainment systems. US Airways said it will serve the new PHL-Beijing market beginning in 2009, using a two-class A340 on the route, which will originate in Charlotte. Continental said it expects to begin service in March 2009 on its Newark-Shanghai flight, which will originate in Cleveland. Meanwhile, Detroit Metro airport officials said that in addition to Northwest’s new Detroit-Shanghai route, China Southern Airlines was awarded a Detroit-Beijing route by China’s civil aviation authority; that service is expected to begin in 2009.