US, China to expand passenger and cargo flights (5 fold in 6 years)

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Politics - AFP


US, China reach deal to expand passenger and cargo flights

Sat Jul 24, 1:20 PM ET Add Politics - AFP to My Yahoo!



BEIJING (AFP) - China and the United States signed an agreement to double the number of airlines flying between the two countries and allow a nearly fivefold increase in passenger and cargo flights over the next six years.


AFP/File Photo


The deal will see the number of flights operated by each side increase in phases from 54 round-trip flights a week to 249 flights by the end of the six-year period, said US Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta, who is visiting Beijing.


The number of airlines from each country allowed to service the market will increase from four to nine.


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"That exponential growth in terms of our trading hasn't been reflected in terms of what's going on in the transportation field," Mineta said, before signing the agreement with the Yang Yuanyuan, minister of the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China.


Mineta noted there was a large number of tourists travelling between the two countries, an increase in the number of business travellers as well as some 250,000 visitors from China going to the United States.


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Mineta suggested the agreement could also help US airlines earn more money as international flights have been more profitable than domestic services, partly due to higher fares.




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