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US airlines go slow on China routes

By James Shih (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-07-10 14:21

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In 2007, when Washington cleared the way for six new non-stop routes between China and the US, top air carriers were clamoring to add to their list of destinations. But less than two years later, airlines are scrambling to push back their launches, or reduce the frequency of their services. 

Air carriers attribute the setbacks to the worldwide economic downturn. American Airlines, which put off its Chicago-Beijing service until next year, cited "extraordinarily adverse marketing and operating conditions affecting the airline industry". Other carriers, too, stated similar reasons for cutting back on their flights. 

"All US carriers serving China have experienced much less favorable market conditions than were generally expected," said Delta Air Lines in its request to cut the number of weekly Atlanta-Shanghai flights the airline launched only last year...

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