Levin Hails DOT Decision to Authorize New Northwest Flight from Detroit to China

WASHINGTON – Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., today hailed a decision by the Department of Transportation (DoT) to award Northwest Airlines an additional flight between Detroit and China.

"I am very pleased that Northwest Airlines will be able to expand its service to China," Levin said. "The additional flight authorized by the Department of Transportation today will help to meet the needs of many passengers in Detroit and across the Midwest, and it is a step forward in our continuing goal to establish fairer trade practices for American goods and services in China."

In a letter to Department of Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater, Levin and other members of the Michigan delegation urged approval of Northwest's request to expand its passenger service to China. They argued that an additional Northwest flight would "bolster passenger service between Detroit and China and add capacity in the under-served air freight market."

In addition to the additional Northwest flight, DoT today authorized six weekly flights to UPS, two weekly flights to United Airlines and one weekly flight to Federal Express.