DORGAN EXPECTS NORTHWEST AIRLINES TO ANNOUNCE NEW AIR SERVICE CONNECTING NORTH DAKOTA TO SALT LAKE CITY AT MEETING IN BISMARCK TOMORROW

Senator says new route would give better option to travelers heading west and southwest

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

CONTACT: Justin Kitsch
or  Brenden Timpe
PHONE: 202-224-2551

(BISMARCK, N.D.) – U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) said Wednesday he expects Northwest Airlines President Ed Bastian to announce tomorrow at a Bismarck meeting Dorgan arranged that the airline will begin offering direct air service between North Dakota and Salt Lake City, which is a Delta Air Lines hub. Dorgan says the new route would expand flight options for North Dakota air travelers.

Following the merger approval of Northwest and Delta airlines, Dorgan invited Bastian to attend a meeting in Bismarck tomorrow with Governor Hoeven, the other members of the Congressional Delegation, and North Dakota airport officials on the future of air service in the state by the newly merged company.

Dorgan said he met with the head of the airline two weeks ago in Washington, and requested that they consider establishing direct service between North Dakota and the Delta hub in Salt Lake City. He said he expects there to be some announcement of that service at tomorrow’s meeting. The meeting, which is open to media, will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 4, at the Bismarck Municipal Airport Conference Room.

“Northwest is the largest carrier in North Dakota, and we want to make sure that with the merger, our state still has access to competitively priced fares and a good frequency of flights,” said Dorgan. “New routes would be a significant improvement in service for North Dakota air travelers, especially for those headed to points west of our state.”

“The lack of direct flight options has always been a concern for travelers in North Dakota, but as our state’s economy grows, so does our air travel,” said Dorgan. “This investment would be a good decision by the airline that will pay off both for the company and for North Dakotans. I look forward to continuing to work with the airline to find even more ways to expand and improve air travel in our region.”

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