By Padraic =
United Airlines awarded new Washington-to-Beijing route=0A=0A=0ABy Padraic =
Cassidy, MarketWatch=0ALast Update: 3:00 PM ET Jan 9, 2007=0A=0ANEW YORK (M=
arketWatch) -- The Department of Transportation on Tuesday tentatively awar=
ded United Airlines the right to fly a new daily route between the U.S. and=
China, handing a loss to United rivals that had also sought the lucrative =
new route.=0AThe department said United's (UAUA: news) plan to fly a Washin=
gton Dulles International Airport-to-Beijing China Peking Capital Airport r=
oute had the potential to benefit the greatest number of passengers. "More =
people travel to China from the Washington metro area than from any other U=
.S. city that currently does not have nonstop U.S.-China service," the Tran=
sportation Department said.=0A GET QUOTES=0A Enter one or more symbols=0A =
=0A=0AQuotes delayed up to 20 Minutes=0A=0A=0A=0A=0A=0A RELATED QUOTE=
S=0A=0A UAUA46.92 +0.12 =0A=0A CAL45.47 +0.85 =0A=0A NWACQ4.49 +0.04 =0A=
=0A AMR34.01 +0.64 =0A=0A BA87.94 -1.00 =0A=0A=0A=0A=0A=0A=0A Top MarketW=
atch=0A Headlines=0A=0AApple unwraps iPhone at Macworld=0A=0AUnited Airline=
s awarded new Washington-to-Beijing route=0A=0ADollar up modestly vs. major=
currencies on falling oil prices=0A=0A=0A=0A=0A=0A=0AContinental Airlines =
Inc. (CAL: news) , Northwest Airlines Corp. (NWACQ: news) and American Airl=
ines (AMR: news) had submitted applications to fly the new route. =0AAmeric=
an wanted a route between Dallas-Fort Worth and Beijing; Continental applie=
d for service between Newark, N.J., and Shanghai; and Northwest applied for=
a Detroit-to-Shanghai route.=0A"As difficult as the final choice will be, =
ultimately the goal is to do everything in our power to expand service, des=
tinations and frequencies between the United States and China," said Transp=
ortation Secretary Mary E. Peters.=0AThe tentative decision stated that Uni=
ted's service would allow for the greatest capacity, offering more than 253=
,310 seats a year in the U.S.-China market, 22% more than under Continental=
's proposal.=0AUAL Corp. shares were up 18 cents in recent trades at $46.98=
, while AMR Corp. shares were up 63 cents at $34 and Continental's stock ha=
d climbed 70 cents to $45.32. =0A"We applaud the Department of Transportati=
on on their fair and thorough process and for putting the interest of the n=
ation and the traveling public first," said Glenn Tilton, United's chairman=
and chief executive.=0AThe department on Tuesday also denied American's pr=
oposed change to its application -- a route that would add Chicago before c=
ontinuing on to Beijing -- saying that "any amendment this late in the proc=
eeding would significantly delay the start of new service." American said i=
t was disappointed in the decision. =0AThe Department of Transportation wil=
l accept objections during a 14-day period.=0AUnited said it would begin th=
e daily service within 90 days of the department's final order, flying a 34=
7-seat, three-class, Boeing Co. (BA: news) 747-400 aircraft. United's appli=
cation promised connections to 16 Chinese cities through a code-sharing agr=
eement with Air China.=0AAccording to the Department of Transportation, Ame=
rican operates seven weekly nonstop flights between Chicago and Shanghai. C=
ontinental provides seven weekly nonstop flights between Newark and Beijing=
. Northwest operates 21 weekly flights on a one-stop basis through its Toky=
o connecting hub, providing daily service to Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzho=
u. United operates 28 weekly nonstop flights, providing daily service in th=
e Chicago-Beijing, Chicago-Shanghai, San Francisco-Beijing and San Francisc=
o-Shanghai markets.=0AAdditional rights in the U.S.-China market are to bec=
ome available to U.S. carriers on March 25, 2008.=0A=0APadraic Cassidy is a=
reporter for MarketWatch in New York.