Continental, Delta, United airlines win new China routes

CONTINENTAL Airlines has been given tentative approval by the US Department of Transportation (DOT) to operate daily non-stop service between New York/Newark and Shanghai and through flight service between Cleveland and Shanghai, beginning March 2009.

"This is a win for Continental's customers," said Continental CEO and chairman Larry Kellner.

Continental's new route will offer connections to the airline's flight network from Newark Liberty, in addition to through flight service between northern Ohio and Shanghai.

This route allocation comes after the US and China signed a new aviation agreement in July to further liberalise by doubling the number of daily flights between the two countries over five years.

In a related development, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines have been awarded two new routes to China's financial and manufacturing capitals, and four other new routes have been proposed for 2009.

Delta will fly from its Atlanta home base to Shanghai starting in April, while Chicago-based United will fly between Guangzhou and San Francisco from spring 2008.

This brings to six the number of daily non-stop flights United provides to China, including flights to Beijing from San Francisco, Chicago and Washington, and flights to Shanghai from Chicago and San Francisco.

"United Airlines is honoured to be selected as the first US carrier to provide non-stop service between San Francisco and Guangzhou," said Glenn Tilton, United chairman, president and CEO.