American airlines fight for new routes to China
(people.com.cn)
Updated: 2004-09-03 13:43

The United Airlines formally applied to the US Department of Transportation on August 31 for the opening of direct daily flights between Baiyun Airport of Guangzhou, China and Los Angeles Airport. If approved, the United Airlines plan to open a new route from Guangzhou to Los Angeles (via Tokyo) in March 2005, and raise it to direct flight by 2006.

We hope the new route in Guangzhou will strengthen our service in this vigorously developing region, said Guo Zhenxiong, general manager of United Airlines' China division, adding that the service will help the company's flights currently in Hong Kong.

As a matter of fact, American airlines has been fighting for new routes to China since the sighing of a China-US aviation agreement on July 24 this year, according to which, the number of air companies running US-China routes would increase from the current 4 for each country to 9 for each, and weekly flights between the two sides will increase from current 54 to 249.

Air routes to China are no doubt "golden" ones in the eyes of foreign air companies, an aviation expert said. Statistics show that the profit of an international airline equals to three or four domestic routes. The United Airlines hope to boost the position of this airline by adding flights so as to share aviation costs and guarantee profits of other lines.

The United Airlines showed quite an active attitude in fighting for routes to China. It said it would continue to increase investment in China. As early as on July 29, the United Airlines announced that it would launch its daily direct flight between Pudong Airport, Shanghai and O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, thus becoming the only airline that provides direct flights between Shanghai and Chicago.

Also on July 29, another American airline announced new route to China. Northwest Airlines declared that it would open a new route between Detroit and Guangzhou (via Tokyo) as of December 31 this year. Our new route will facilitate passengers from Guangzhou to major business and tourist cities of the United States, said Philip C. Haan, executive vice president for international, sales and information services of Northwest Airlines.

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