Cosmo
Veteran
- Aug 20, 2002
- 840
- 0
As FWAAA points out, that's simply not true. Any passenger frequency allocated to a U.S. carrier (or a Chinese carrier, for that matter) in the U.S.-China market can be operated nonstop or via one of a number of intermediate points. Just because Northwest chooses to operate all of its passenger flights to China via NRT doesn't mean that it is required to do so. Similarly, United and Continental choose to operate their flights to China on a nonstop basis, as will American when it starts nonstop ORD-PVG service next Spring. In fact, shortly after 9/11, United changed its SFO-PEK flight from a nonstop to a one-stop via NRT, and changed the flight back to a nonstop again in mid-2004 -- none of which needed the approval of China or even the U.S. DOT. So, short of abrogating the current U.S.-China bilateral agreement, the Chinese have no say over U.S. carrier flights to China as long as those flights are operated in a manner consistent with that agreement.WorldTraveler said:I agree with Wha...that NW could not unilaterally change its service pattern to begin nonstop service to the US from China without agreement by the Chinese government, who is not interested in seeing US carriers develop a superior service pattern than what they currently hold.
While Delta may indeed need more access to Asia, it shouldn't be grouped together with profitable carriers such as American and Continental because Delta is certainly in no position to acquire such access at this time. The carrier is losing money at a prodigious rate (faster than any other carrier, including those already in Chapter 11), there is little chance of getting the Congressional action that it desires to spread out its required pension contributions over the next 20-25 years, carriers that Delta hoped would now be in airline heaven are still with us (especially US Airways and Independence Air due to their East Coast focus), and AirTran, JetBlue and Southwest continue to expand their own East Coast operations. So unless several, or all, of these conditions change fairly soon, Delta will likely "enjoy" its own excursion through Chapter 11 in the near future and have much more serious things to worry about, for at least a year or two, than expanded access to Asia. One of those things to worry about might be Delta finding itself in the position of "consolidatee" rather than "consolidator"!WorldTraveler said:It is very interesting that NW and UA could both be in play at a time when US airlines like AA, CO, and DL need access to Asia more than ever. [My emphasis.]