United, Northwest to operate seven flights a week
U.S. Transportation
Secretary Norman Y. Mineta and Civil Aviation Administration of
China Minister Yang Yuanyuan have signed a landmark air services
agreement that will more than double the number of airlines that
can fly between the United States and China and will permit a
nearly five-fold increase in U.S.-China air services over the next
six years.
This agreement opens new routes for travelers and new doors for
American workers," said Secretary Mineta. "Expanding aviation
opportunities between the United States and China means more U.S.
airlines, businesses and travelers can take advantage of growing
trade between our two rapidly expanding economies."
The new agreement,
which was initialed June 18 in Washington, D.C., will allow five
additional airlines from each country to serve the U.S.-China
market over the next six years. The United States may name one
additional all-cargo airline, while China may name either a
passenger or cargo airline, to start service later this year. The
importance of additional air cargo services to China is illustrated
by a recent U.S. Department of Transportation study showing that
air freight is the fastest growing segment of the American cargo
industry.
As a result of the
agreement, DOT on Friday authorized United Air Lines and Northwest
Airlines to operate seven flights each per week between the United
States and China. Northwest will operate a new daily flight from
Detroit to Guangzhou - the first U.S.-carrier passenger service to
that city - with a stopover in Tokyo, while United will begin a new
daily nonstop service between Chicago and Shanghai.
The agreement will allow a total of 195 new weekly flights for
each country - 111 by all-cargo carriers and 84 by passenger
airlines -growing to a total of 249 weekly flights at the end of a
six-year phase-in period. A total of 14 of these flights will be
available for new U.S. passenger services on Aug. 1 this year.
The signing took place during Secretary Mineta's four-day visit
to China to discuss mutual cooperation on transportation issues. He
also will travel to Bali, Indonesia, for the 4th Transportation
Ministerial Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, to be
held July 26-29.
Secretary Mineta today
also announced a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Trade and Development
Agency for the U.S.-China Aviation Cooperation Program, also known
as the Wright Brothers Partnership. This public-private program
will bring together the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal
Aviation Administration and a dozen U.S. aviation companies
operating in China to increase awareness of U.S. technology,
project standards and services that will assist China in
strengthening its aviation infrastructure, and improve its aviation
safety. The grant announced today is the first installment of a
total of $1 million in funding for the partnership.