United eyes Moscow, Dubai; Northwest sets SEA-Beijing route

Both United and Northwest Airlines last week unveiled plans for major new international routes. United set an October 26 launch date for new non-stop routes from its Washington Dulles hub to both Moscow and Dubai, while Northwest said it will start flying March 1, 2009, between Seattle and Beijing. With the new routes, United will fly to 24 international destinations from Dulles. Both new routes will operate daily; the Dubai service will use a three-class 777, while the Moscow route will be flown with a three-class 767. The Dubai route is United’s second to the Middle East; the airline already operates daily Dulles-Kuwait flights. The new Northwest daily non-stops from Seattle to Beijing will be the airline’s second China route coming in 2009; Northwest had already set a March 2009 start-up for new Detroit-Shanghai non-stops. The Seattle-Beijing service will be operated with a two-class A33-200, and will be fed not only by Northwest but also by partners Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, which are based in Seattle. The Northwest announcement means Seattle will have two airlines flying non-stop to China, since Chinese carrier Hainan Airlines is due to begin Seattle-Beijing service four times a week on June 9.