New routes: Northwest to Paris, Delta to Hawaii

Northwest Airlines said last week it will add new service to Paris from its Minneapolis/St. Paul hub effective April 8, 2008. The new Northwest service, operated in conjunction with partner KLM, will operate once a day using a two-class A330-300. Northwest is part of a group including KLM, Delta, Air France, Alitalia and CSA Czech that has applied with the Transportation Department for antitrust immunity in transatlantic operations, and Northwest announced the Paris route “with the expectation that (the application) will be granted,” said CEO Doug Steenland.

Meanwhile, Delta SkyMiles members will get new options for award trips to Hawaii next year. Delta said that effective June 5, 2008, it plans to launch two new routes to the 50th State from Los Angeles – one flight a day to Kona, on the Big Island; and one a day to Lihue, Kauai. The eastbound flights on both routes will be red-eyes.