AIR TRAVELERS: “PASSENGERS BEFORE PARCELS” IN U.S./CHINA

AIR TRAVELERS: “PASSENGERS BEFORE PARCELS” IN U.S./CHINA

AIR TRAVELERS: “PASSENGERS BEFORE PARCELS” IN U.S./CHINA

   A business air travelers’ lobbying group told U.S. Department of Transportation officials to put “passengers before parcels” in their decision to award flight rights between the U.S. and China.

   “High business airfares — not air-cargo rates — are where major problems lie in air transport, and where the airline competition debate has been focused for three years,” said Kevin Mitchell, chairman of the Business Travel Coalition in a letter to Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater.

   Under the terms of a recently negotiated air services treaty with China, the U.S. government can select one U.S. airline to serve China. DOT has the option to grant the flight rights to a cargo or a combination passenger/cargo carrier.

   Cargo airlines, Polar Air Cargo and UPS, and passenger airlines, American and Delta, have applied for the new rights.