Maxjet a surprise applicant for China service
Andrew Compart, Travel Weekly, 7/17/2007
The final applications came in on July 16 from airlines vying for the right to start new services to China within the next two years, and business-class-only carrier Maxjet provided the biggest surprise when it joined the competition by seeking Transportation Department approval to start Seattle-Shanghai service in 2009.
Maxjet currently offers service from New York's Kennedy Airport, Washington Dulles and Las Vegas to London Stansted, and will begin Los Angeles-London service Aug. 30.
Maxjet is facing some stiff competition for the China rights, as six major U.S. carriers also have applied.
Delta has applied for Atlanta-Shanghai service, using the new route rights that are available immediately, and for Atlanta-Beijing service using the route rights that become available March 25, 2009.
Northwest is proposing Detroit-Shanghai and Detroit-Beijing service and said if granted immediate rights, it would use them for the Detroit-Shanghai route. Otherwise, it is asking for approval for both for 2009.
Other competitors for 2009 service include American for Chicago-Beijing, Continental for Newark-Shanghai, United for Los Angeles-Shanghai and US Airways for Philadelphia-Shanghai. United was the only carrier to ask for the route rights that become available March 25, 2008, applying for service between San Francisco and Guangzhou.
Under the new U.S.-China aviation agreement, the DOT can select a new entrant for the U.S.-China market for seven weekly frequencies -- enough for one daily flight -- that become available Aug. 1. Delta, not currently serving the market as Northwest already is, appears to be the frontrunner for that selection.
The DOT also will be making selections for new routes rights that begin on March 25 in 2008 and 2009.
For March 2008, the DOT can award rights to offer seven weekly frequencies from the U.S. to Guangzhou and seven weekly frequencies for certain cities listed in the agreement that do not include Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou.
For March 2009, the DOT can select another new entrant to the market and award airlines 28 weekly frequencies to China to a broad choice of cities, including Beijing and Shanghai. It also can award another seven weekly frequencies for service to certain cities that do not include Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou.