Aviation News
- United wins new route to China
Date: 11-Jan-2007 Sources: (Shenzhen Daily)
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) on Tuesday tentatively awarded United Airlines (United) the rights to start non-stop air service between Washington, D.C., and Beijing.
That will allow the airline to become the world's first carrier to fly non-stop between the U.S. capital and China, the United State's top Asian trading partner.
The DOT's decision culminates an intense bidding process for the highly coveted new rights to fly to China.
As part of bilateral aviation agreements between China and the United States, seven additional weekly flights between the two countries are to be opened up to U.S. carriers beginning this year.
United's winning route will give Washington, D.C. its only non-stop connection to China and comes as the airline has been expanding international options out of its hub at Washington's Dulles International Airport. Previously, Washington had been the largest U.S. market without non-stop service to China. United says service on the route will start March 25, using Boeing 747 aircraft configured with three classes of service.
'United Airlines is honored to be selected as the first carrier to connect the governments, commerce and cultures of these two important capital cities,'said United CEO Glenn Tilton.
The routes were fiercely competed for by four U.S. airlines. In addition to United's winning 'capital-to-capital?bid, American, Continental and Northwest had also applied for the newest China rights.
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